[1] A classic corned beef and cabbage dinner, with new potatoes and carrots (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] A glass of pinot noir (or red Burgundy in French wine), is a delicious compliment for red wine lovers (photo © Rebelle | NYC [permanently closed]).

[3] White wine lovers should try Grüner Veltliner, the top white wine from Austria (photo © Crate & Barrel).

If you’re planning to make corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, how about some wine-pairing ideas?

Yes, there are those who want a good Irish beer or a glass of Irish whiskey.

But wine expert Sandra Guibord of Sandra’s Wine Life shares her recommendations on wine pairings.

Sandra recommends that the savory flavors from a dish of simmering corned beef and root vegetables are enhanced and complimented by:

 
> The history of corned beef.

> The history of cabbage.

> The history of corned beef and cabbage.

> The history of corned beef hash.

> What is corned beef?
 
 
CORNED BEEF RECIPES

 
 

[4] Mead, available in bottles and cans, in still and sparkling, is golden in color (photo © Organic Authority).

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Here’s an idea for your next snack or hors d’oeuvre plate of hummus: salad on the side. That way, when scooping up some hummus with a piece of pita, you can scoop up some salad too (or spoon it on top of the hummus).

The idea comes from The Spice House, a purveyor of the finest spices, herbs, blends, and extracts for 66 years.

The Spice House paired a dish of hummus with a Middle Easter-style salad, made by combining:

 
Or, you could make Israeli salad or a cucumber salad with mini cucumbers.
 
 
MORE HUMMUS RECIPES

[1] Hummus with a side of salad (photo © The Spice House).

[2] Hummus with a sash of feta salad (photo © Flavor & The Menu).

[3] Or, surround the hummus with crudites (photo © Monika Grabkowska | Unsplash).

†Za’atar is a spice blend that is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It typically includes salt, sesame seeds, sumac, and thyme. Za’atar has a slightly earthy taste. The thyme provides a subtle bitterness, the sesame seeds add a touch of sweetness, and the sumac provides a hint of citrus.
 
 

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[1] Pistachio butter cups (all photos © Setton Farms).

[2] Setton Farms shelled pistachio nuts.

[3] White chocolate pistachio butter cups. Here’s the recipe.

Mardi Gras: done. Next up: St. Patrick’s Day. Start loading up on treats with this pistachio butter cups recipe: a pistachio and chocolate take on peanut butter cups. You can make them in advance and freeze them.

Thanks to Setton Farms for the recipe. They’ve been growing pistachios in the Central Valley of California since 1986. They’re top quality, and we’re a big fan of their:

 
> The history of pistachio nuts.

> THe history of peanut butter cups.
 
 
RECIPE: PISTACHIO BUTTER CUPS

In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need mini baking liners and a baking sheet or mini muffin tin,
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MELT the chocolate with the coconut oil.

2. PLACE the mini baking liners on the baking sheet/mini muffin tin. Add 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate to the bottom of the liners, making sure the chocolate covers the whole bottom. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

3. CHOP 1/4 cup of the pistachios

4. ADD 1 cup of the remaining pistachios to a food processor and process for 2-3 minutes or until they come together as a soft paste. This is your pistachio butter. You may need to add some water to bring it all together.

5. TAKE the liners out of the freezer. Spread 1-1/2 teaspoons of pistachio butter on top of the chocolate and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes.

6. TAKE the liners out of the freezer and pour 1 teaspoon of chocolate on top of the pistachio butter. Sprinkle each cup with the chopped pistachios. Freeze for at least one hour.

7. KEEP the pistachio butter cups in the freezer until you’re ready to serve them. Peel off the liners and let them come to room temperature on the counter. (Or, you may enjoy eating them frozen!)

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Recently we tasted a pouch of FAVs, fruit purees designed for children, packed with vitamins and fun designs on squeeze pouches. Our impression was: These are delicious, and great snacks for adults seeking low calories (just 45 calories per pack), great taste, and oh yes, nutrition.

The fruit pouches are packed with vitamins A, B6, C, D, E, zinc, and beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. The combination helps to support the immune system.

The fruits are picked at the peak of freshness, and the purées are sweet with no sugar added (isn’t that just peachy!).

We enjoy them so much, that FAVs are our Top Pick Of The Week.

FAVs are available in four flavors:

 
The calories are so low that you can have two pouches for just 90 calories.

The line is:

 
 
HOW TO ENJOY FAVs FRUIT POUCHES

We first purchased cartons of each of the flavors as grab-and-go snacks. We love the fruit fix, straight from the pouch. Then, we played around with them:

 
You’ll discover your own favorite uses.
 
 
READY FOR A LUSCIOUS FRUIT SNACK?

Here’s a store locator.

You can also purchase FAVs on Amazon.

[1] Sweet, nutritious, 45-calorie fruit pouches. Here, Strawberry Strong (all photos © Tree Top).

[2] Fresh peaches have a limited season, but we get a peach flavor to fix from Feelin’ Peachy..

[3] Go bananas!

The Tree Top cooperative was formed in 1960, in the heart of Washington’s apple country. Way before “sustainability” entered the public consciousness, growers came together to find a way to save ugly and excess fruit—perfectly good food—from going to the landfill.

Today, Tree Top is still saving ugly and excess fruit: more than 800 million pounds of fruit each year! Here’s more about Tree Top.

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[1] BLT pancakes. Can you have extra bacon on the side? Sure! Here’s the recipe (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[2] Grilled cheese pancake stack. Here’s the recipe (photo © Wyke Farms).

Today* is Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. It’s the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the beginning of 40 days of fasting in the Christian liturgical calendar.

Pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of Lent. British Christians began the pancake custom in the 16th century. The day’s feasting also includes sweets and other foods that are given up for Lent.

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated in English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In France, the U.S., and other countries, it is called Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.

Now onto the pancake celebrations. International Pancake Day is held on Shrove Tuesday. February 21st is National Pancake Day (so today, per the calendar, is both International Pancake Day, a floating date, and National Pancake Day, a fixed date). February is National Pancake

This year we’re showcasing our savory pancake recipes (below). They’re a treat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Enjoy!
 
> The history of pancakes.

> The different types of pancakes. How many have you had?
 
 
SAVORY PANCAKE RECIPES

†What does “Shrove” mean? The first records of the term “Shrove Tuesday” appear in the 1490s. Shrove is the past tense of the verb shrive, which means “to confess one’s sins, such as to a priest” (it can also mean “to hear confession”). Shrovetide was a time that many Christians devoted to confessing their sins before the beginning of Lent [source]. Today Roman Catholics still confess their sins in order to receive the Blessed Sacrament and thus qualify themselves for a more religious observance of the holy season of Lent [source].

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