How would you pronounce this word?! Paczki Actually pronounced “Poonch-key,"– Paczki are deep-fried pastries with decadent filling – aka, super decadent Polish donuts! These are traditional, Polish Fat Tuesday treats. Historically, families would make them to use up items that were forbidden during the Lenten season, including fat, sugar, eggs, and fruit. They used these ingredients to make sweet, indulgent pastries called Paczki. People look forward to “Paczki Day” every year, as evidenced by how many visits Bashas’ bakeries receive every Fat Tuesday. That’s because Bashas' is the only local ..read more

I’ve never really been much of a Valentine’s Day person. I’ve always appreciated the sweet little thoughts from my husband and loved ones over the years, but I’ve never really had any expectations about what the perfect Valentine’s Day should look like. I do, however remember my mom making a big deal out of it when I was a kid. To my surprise, I would always wake up to some type of balloon, candy, or a sweet card from her just to tell me how special she thought I was. As a boy mom, I’m not sure my son really cares about balloons or sentimental cards, but he does care about food! We’re always ..read more

This is a sponsored post by El Yucateco Hot Sauce. For more information on the #1 selling habanero hot sauce in the US, please visit their website at: ,,www.shopelyucateco.com. All recipes, reviews and opinions expressed in this post are my own.  How do you get your teenagers in the holiday spirit? I know, it’s hard. Sometimes teens can be a bit grumpy or judgemental of the things that used to be fun for them as a kid.  Santa no longer exists, and the toys they used to ask for have become video games and gift cards. But, with the help of El Yucateco Hot Sauce, today I was able t ..read more

Living in Arizona, you get exposed to many different, amazing cultures. The Southwest has a rich history of Latin American and Mexican culture, old west flair, and Native American heritage. My son‘s best friend is a blend of all of those things, and his family has done such an amazing job at teaching him about all of those cultures. We were blessed last week to be included in his first fall hunt with his Native American family. Elk are very plentiful in Arizona at this time of year, and during their first hunt, Native Americans traditionally give the meat away to the elders of their community ..read more

This is a sponsored post by Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar. For more information on their products, please visit their Instagram page at: https://www.instagram.com/zulkasugar/. All recipes, reviews and opinions expressed in this post are my own. A sigh of relief comes over me as temperatures finally dip below triple digits, I can drive and sleep with my windows open, and I can wake up in the morning and take a deep breath of cool, fresh air. It’s fall now, and I’m here for it! Fall brings a plethora of beautiful flavors, colors, fashion trends, and recipes! It’s time again for pumpkin EVERYTHIN ..read more

This is a sponsored post by El Yucateco Hot Sauce. For more information on the #1 habanero hot sauce in the US, please visit their website at: ,www.shopelyucateco.com. All recipes, reviews and opinions expressed in this post are my own. It’s tailgate time again! These are days full of football, parking lot parties, and entertaining guests at home and away. Everyone in our family always looks forward to football season, but if I’m being completely honest, it’s still too hot to party outside! Many of our days are still well over 100° here in Phoenix, so we beat the heat with lots of shaded awni ..read more

This is a sponsored post by Oléico High Oleic Safflower Oil. For more information on their amazing products, please visit their website at: http://www.Oleico.com. All recipes, reviews and opinions expressed in this post are deliciously my own! Fall is quickly approaching, so it’s time for us to start thinking about sweaters, boots, pumpkin spice lattés, and all of those wonderful comfort food dishes that make us want to cozy up next to the fire and watch football! Weekend breakfasts during the fall season are some of my favorite times. There’s nothing like sleeping in on a chilly morning, goi ..read more

This is a sponsored post by Oléico High Oleic Safflower Oil. For more information on their amazing products, please visit their website at: http://www.Oléico.com. All recipes, reviews and opinions expressed in this post are deliciously my own! How did you learn to cook? Do you remember the first dish you ever made successfully? How did those first few bites taste? And how did it feel when the people you were cooking for told you how amazing it tasted, and how proud of you they were? I remember all of these things, and today I’m sharing with you the very first dish I ever made successfully. Wh ..read more

This “Hot Sauce Summer Spicy Mango Margaritas!” post is sponsored by ,El Yucateco. All recipes, images, and opinions are my own. How do you “own” the Summer months? Do you travel? Do you hit the local beaches? Or are you more of a stay at home, poolside kind of person? Here in Scottsdale, it’s kind of mandatory to get out of the heat and travel to some of the “cooler” places around the world, in every sense of the word. Our family takes big trips every other year, so this is a stay at home, poolside year for us, and we’re ready for it! The pool and jacuzzi heaters are off, the umbrellas are u ..read more

Coming up with new appetizer recipes has always been so much fun for me! Whenever there’s a gathering, I’m always the first to sign up to bring a fun dish. I love making fresh finger foods, decadent dips, and lots of portable poppers. Today’s recipe falls into the category of decadent dips. Being a foodie, my son has developed a pretty advanced palate at a very young age. Dips and dishes made with Brie cheese have always been some of his favorites. He also has quite a taste for garlic, herbs and anything that has to do with melted butter and fresh bread. So, with the help of my favorite Primo ..read more