March Re-Make Re-Cap

Oh my gosh, I can't believe I haven't posted for a week! This entire month has just gone by in a blur; I'm busy at home, busy at work, and have absolutely  no energy for anything because the winter weather is really starting to take its toll. Thankfully it's finally starting to warm up around here, at least a little bit, and I can already start to feel my attitude and energy levels improving.

Despite not having a lot of energy, I've been making some fantastic dinners lately. Most of them are new, though (and I'll share them in the coming weeks), so the re-make re-cap this month is pretty light.

On the night I made this farfalle with bacon, onions, and gouda, the dinner table was completely silent because we were all so busy stuffing our faces. These ingredients are staples for me (yes, we've reached the point in food blogging where gouda cheese is a staple in my home), so this is a great meal to pull together when I don't have a lot of time or inspiration to cook. It's so, so delicious.

Every year during the week of Dr. Seuss's birthday, the boys' school celebrates by devoting an entire week to Dr. Seuss. Each day has a theme based around one of his books, and I always take green egg candies on Green Eggs and Ham day (which also happens to be pajama day). They're always a huge hit with the kids and, with only two ingredients, they're a cinch to prepare.



This Mexican sour cream rice is one of our favorite side dishes whenever we have Mexican food. While it's probably not very traditional, it is absolutely delicious: creamy, cheesy, and mild enough for the boys to enjoy. I can't wait to share the chicken that I served it with when I made it this month.

We love these shrimp po' boys so much that we could easily eat them once a week. Maybe even twice a week. There's just something about the combination of crunchy and succulent shrimp, crisp lettuce, spicy sauce, and juicy tomato that is so irresistible. This time, instead of soaking the shrimp in regular milk, I used buttermilk that I had left over from another recipe. It made the shrimp taste even better, so I'll continue to do that whenever I make these.

I've been making these Tuscan-style grilled chicken sandwiches for years, and they're still a family favorite. This time, I used chicken left over from another recipe (which I'll share soon, because YUM) and, after layering on the mozzarela and artichokes, I put the sandwiches in a warm oven to melt the cheese. I think I preferred them with the melted cheese, and I don't know why I never thought about doing that before.

This broccoli salad is one of the dishes I'm making for Easter dinner this year, and Joe's family (with whom we're having dinner) is practically forcing me to make it. I make it a lot for get-togethers with his family, and they are all insane about this stuff. I usually double the recipe when I make it for family gatherings, but this time they asked me to quadruple it, because they're always disappointed to not have seconds. If you haven't tried it, you really need to remedy that soon. It's amazing.

I'm also making carrot cake for Easter. Joe's grandma loves it, and I'm always happy when I make something she likes since she's an amazing cook. I love this recipe so much, and I think the best thing about it is how simple it is. There's nothing fancy or complicated about the recipe, but it truly is the best carrot cake I've ever tried.

The boys have been talking about Easter for weeks now, and I can't wait to see their faces on Sunday morning when they see all of the goodies the Easter Bunny brought for them. I'd like to wish all of you a Happy Easter! I promise I'll be better about posting next week. :)