Bacon & Ranch Smashed Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

These crispy & flavorful Bacon & Ranch Smashed Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts will quickly become your new go-to side dish...

Confession time: Once upon a time I was one of those kids who didn't like Brussels sprouts. I wouldn't go near them. I had even convinced myself that they were the little cabbages that Cabbage Patch dolls were born from (yes, I had quite the imagination as a kiddo). 

Not that I think that made me unique or anything as a child (other than that Cabbage Patch dolls bit ;) ). It seems to be pretty standard that most kids won't touch Brussels sprouts. Even my own kiddos aren't fans of them.

This has me convinced that Brussels sprouts must be an acquired taste, something you must come to appreciate and love as you get older. I also have another theory about my disgust with Brussels sprouts growing up- they weren't being cooked right. The sprouts I ate as a kid were steamed, and mushy, and pretty bland. It wasn't until I had oven roasted Brussels sprouts early into my adulthood that I finally found my affinity for this misunderstood veggie.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

Fresh brussels sprouts & mushrooms are oven roasted until tender & caramelized & then topped with a rich & savory garlic Parmesan sauce in these Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms....

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Marzetti® Brand. 

All opinions are 100% mine.

Springtime has arrived! And with the arrival of spring also comes some of my favorite vegetables of the season- asparagus, green beans, sugar snap peas, fresh mushrooms, and of course, Brussels sprouts. Not only does the selection of fresh veggies at the local grocers expand during the spring, but the local farmers markets start to pick up around here offering locally sourced vegetables as well. 

When it comes to fresh, crisp veggies, I like to keep it simple and flavorful. My favorite way to cook vegetables is to just simply roast them in the oven. For these Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms, I roasted them in the oven until the Brussels sprouts were fork tender, but the outsides were nice and crispy and slightly caramelized. 

The earthy roasted mushrooms pair perfectly with the sprouts. And the finishing touch? A splash of rich & savory Marzetti® Garlic Parmesan Veggie Drizzle™ Finishing Sauce! :) New Marzetti® Veggie Drizzle Finishing Sauces are the easiest & quickest way to add more flavor to your favorite roasted, grilled, boiled, or steamed springtime vegetables...

Lemon Risotto with Brussels Sprouts & Crispy Ham

Bright lemon, fresh Brussels sprouts, crispy ham, and creamy arborio rice come together in this perfect for spring Lemon Risotto with Brussels Sprouts & Crispy Ham...

I am a gal that can enjoy a good homemade risotto any time of the year. It is pretty much my adult version of mac & cheese. A sophisticated take on comfort food, if you will. But there is just something about a good spring risotto- Am I right?

When you combine the bright, fresh flavors of spring with the creaminess of a risotto, delicious magic just happens, folks. ;)

When Speck Ham approached me about becoming their April Speckulator a couple of weeks ago, my mind was just spinning with the many ways that I could enjoy and prepare their amazing Italian ham that has been prepared and smoked using the same family recipe that has been passed down for generations. But ultimately, I knew that the smoky saltiness of their Speck Alto Adige ham would pair perfectly with bright lemon, fresh Brussels sprouts, and creamy risotto- a dish perfect for your spring dinner table!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprouts Quinoa Salad

Inspired by the flavors of fall, this Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprouts Quinoa Salad makes the perfect side dish for a holiday dinner. It also happens to be hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian-friendly main dish...

Over the last year and a half or so, I have become obsessed with all things quinoa. In fact, I usually have some type of quinoa salad for lunch most days of the week now. 

My obsession with this super grain started when I decided that I was ready to make some healthier lifestyle choices and drop some of the weight I had been carrying around for a few years. A major part of what I changed about my diet was making green smoothies for breakfast and then having variations on quinoa salad for lunch at least 4-5 days a week. 

If we are going to be technical about it, quinoa really isn't a grain at all. It is actually what they call a super seed. 

Just one cup of cooked quinoa contains 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber (keeps you full for longer!). And if you happen to be following a gluten-free diet, quinoa could definitely become your new best friend. 

I decided to take my love for this super seed past the lunch table and right onto my holiday dinner table this year (even though leftovers of this quinoa salad would definitely make an amazing lunch option the next day). 

Inspired by the flavors of fall, this Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprouts Quinoa Salad makes the perfect side dish for a holiday dinner. It also happens to be hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian-friendly main dish.

Top 16 Recipes of 2016

These are the Top 16 Recipes of 2016 on Frugal Foodie Mama as clicked on, pinned, and shared by you...

I am still finding it hard to believe that we have just flipped the page to the start of a new year a few days ago. In fact, I just now bought a brand spanking new binder with tabs and calendar sheets for my blogging editorial calendar. Yes, I am a little old-fashioned like that. No Google calendars or a streamlined online planner for me. There is just something about putting the ink to a fresh calendar page that is so personally satisfying to me. Even though I have definitely went full-on digital in many other aspects of my life, I have a feeling that I will always stay low-tech when it comes to my yearly planner and stick to paper & ink. ;) Can anyone else relate to me here?

I think the start to a new year always prompts most of us to look back on the year past. Which goals did we meet and which ones did we fall short of in the past 365 days? Blog-wise, I had set 3 goals for myself at the beginning of 2016- 1. To grow to 10,000 followers on Instagram. 2. To foster more of a community with my readers and followers on social media by becoming more engaged & present. & 3. To learn & embrace Snapchat. The first one I fell short of by a little less than 2,000. With the second goal, I feel that I have made great strides with it, but I do feel I can still improve on this community of ours even more over the next year. And the last goal? Well, let's just say I didn't even start it. As much as I tried, I just couldn't make myself love Snapchat. And then Instagram came out with their Stories feature, and I didn't see much of a point in learning yet another social media platform. ;) 

Pesto & White Wine Chicken & Veggies

This flavorful & easy to make Pesto & White Wine Chicken & Veggies will quickly become your new go-to sheet pan dinner recipe...

I have no clue why it has taken me so long to jump on the sheet pan dinner bandwagon. I mean, you just need one pan, some meat & veggies, & a little seasoning, and voila! Add a loaf of crusty bread or a salad (or both), and dinner is served. :)

But perhaps the best thing about sheet pan dinners is that they require only one baking sheet. Line it right, and you don't even have to worry about washing the pan once dinner is over. Just take the foil or parchment paper off & put that sheet pan right back on the shelf.

For my first ever sheet pan dinner recipe on the blog, I decided to keep it super simple with a 2 ingredient sauce for the chicken & veggies. You just need a jar of prepared basil pesto (homemade pesto will also work for my over-achievers out there ;) ) and your favorite white wine.

Spring Veggie "Pizza" Muffins

Topped with cream cheese & roasted seasonal vegetables, these easy to make Spring Veggie "Pizza" Muffins come together in just 30 minutes...

This post is sponsored by Thomas' English Muffins & Megaphone. All opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

Thomas' English Muffins have been a part of my family's breakfast table for years now. We serve them with butter alongside eggs and bacon. Sometimes I toast them up & serve them with various jams or jellies on the side. And we all know that Thomas English Muffins make the perfect base for a tasty egg & sausage breakfast sandwich. 

But have you ever thought beyond the breakfast table when it comes to your favorite variety of Thomas' English Muffins? ;)

Recently Thomas' English Muffins challenged me to head to my local Walmart, purchase my favorite variety of their English Muffins, & do just that- to create a couple of non-breakfast recipes perfect for spring & summertime. 

Since fresh spring veggies are in season now, I wanted to come with a quick & easy lunch recipe using the Light Multi-Grain English Muffins & my favorite spring vegetables. These Spring Veggie "Pizza" Muffins are loaded with lots of seasonal veggies & come together in just 30 minutes...

10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner

Brimming with seasonal fruits & veggies, these 10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner will be a bright & fresh addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table... 

I just love a big traditional holiday dinner with all the fixings- ham, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, the works. But I also like to change things up a bit and add a fresh & bright salad to my holiday dinner table. 

I know that salad might not be the first dish that comes to mind for most when you think of Thanksgiving, winter time, and Christmas, but there are so many seasonal fruits and veggies that are at their peak this time of the year. 

I perused some of my favorite food blogs & gathered up 10 gorgeous winter salads chock full of kale, persimmon, pomegranate, spinach, oranges, whole grains, pears, squash, beets, and so much more. :)

Not only are each of these salads packed with in-season ingredients that you shouldn't have any trouble finding at your local grocery store right now, but they are all full of gorgeous colors and bright flavors. A feast for the eyes and the stomach!

Brimming with seasonal fruits & veggies, these 10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner will be be a bright & fresh addition to your holiday dinner table... 

20 Farmers Market Inspired Recipes for Spring

From breakfast recipes to appetizers to desserts & everything else in between, these 20 Farmers Market Inspired Recipes for Spring will have you racing off to your next local farmers market ASAP...

One of my favorite things about spring is that everything comes alive & my local farmers market starts to brim with fresh garden goodness again. Everything from asparagus to ramps to bright leafy greens & sweet strawberries. 

Springtime is also when my local farmers market goes from a once a month thing to a weekly happening, so I am always on the lookout for more market inspired recipes to use those locally sourced & harvested veggies, herbs, and berries in. 

Once again, my food blogger friends did not disappoint when I put out the call for their favorite farmers market inspired recipes for springtime. I literally combed through hundreds of recipes to narrow it down to just these twenty. From breakfast recipes to appetizers to desserts & everything else in between, these bright & fresh recipes will have you racing off to your next local farmers market ASAP...

Triple Spice Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie

This perfectly spiced & tangy Triple Spice Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie is about to replace your traditional pumpkin pie...

My friends at RawSpiceBar provided me with a complimentary one year subscription and are also providing an additional subscription as a giveaway prize. I was not compensated for this post in any other way.  As always, all opinions expressed below are my own. 

Alright, you all. I am ready to go all-out Thanksgiving on you guys this week. We are just a little over two weeks away from the big turkey day, and it is time to start planning out that dinner menu. 

But wait... that's not all, folks! ;) If you scroll down towards the end of this post, you will find links to 24 more delicious recipes that are perfect for your Thanksgiving table. 

Okay, so let's get back to this pie. In my July RawSpiceBar subscription packet, I received an amazing Triple Ice Cream Spices blend. It was intended to be added to a homemade strawberry ice cream, but I sort of tucked it away because I knew its blend of cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise would be perfect for fall desserts.