This post is sponsored by Smart & Final. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

With frozen ingredients ready in minutes to prepared dressings, you can make this simple recipe in minutes. It’s one of my favorites for cutting back on prep time, but not on flavor.

Skipping the complicated recipes for simple ones feels like a summer must.

Another must for last-minute get-togethers: one-stop shopping. I headed to my local Smart & Final so I could get everything needed for a party from produce to paper goods. Hamburgers, fresh fruit, potato salad, and an array of beverages were added to my cart. Because I knew I didn’t have to race around town or spend extra signing up for a membership, I grabbed hamburger toppings like my current obsession: pineapple rings and teriyaki sauce.

Another flavorful dish I added to the barbecue buffet was the easiest pasta salad ever! The vegetarian side dish incorporates easy to uses fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, onion, and corn. It’s mixed with a creamy cilantro lime dressing. While you could certainly make it from scratch, I opted for the easy option of using a premade salad dressing to flavor the bowtie pasta.

Easy Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 16 oz bowtie pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
• 2 c. First Street cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1 jar Brianna’s Home Style Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Instructions:

Start by cooking bowtie pasta according to the package directions. Once al dente, drain and set aside.

Separately, cook three ears of corn. Once cooled, cut corn off of the cob.

Time Saver: Pick up frozen First Street corn on the cob. They can be microwaved which cuts down on the prep time considerably.

While cooking pasta & corn, prepare other ingredients.

Now you’re ready to assemble the easy pasta salad!

Combine cooked pasta with tomatoes, onion, corn, and cilantro. Toss with Brianna’s Home Style Creamy Cilantro Lime salad dressing or similar.

Keep cool until ready to serve.

Top with avocado prior to serving.

Findng the perfect salad dressing for this pasta salad at Smart & Final meant the whole thing came together in the same amount of time as it took to cook my pasta (about 12 minutes). It’s a cost effective, time-saver that is seriously delicious.

There are so many great opportunities to enjoy this easy pasta salad. From family gatherings to birthday parties, it’s quickly becoming a must-have menu item at our house. It’s been a challenging year, and I don’t want to miss any celebrations because the idea of hosting sounds daunting.

Smart & Final Celebrates its 150th Anniversary

There’s always a reason to celebrate, but I’m adding one more to your list. Smart & Final, the “smaller, faster grocery warehouse store” is turning 150! The store was originally founded Hellman-Hass Grocery Co. in Los Angeles, and is now 250 stores strong. It’s the oldest and longest continually operating food retailers in the US, so it’s been a resource for party throwers for a very long time!

Join in the Smart & Final 150th Anniversary Party!

Let’s take it way back! Smart & Final will publish a special series of #TBT (#Throw BackThursday) posts highlighting some of Smart & Final’s best historical photos. Trivia buffs following Smart & Final on Instagram (@smartfinal) also will enjoy history quizzes on stories with $25 gift cards being awarded weekly. It’s a fun way to celebrate along with Smart & Final and possibly win!

Looking for more easy recipes?

• Sheet Pan Vegetable Hash with Eggs {Recipe}
• The Best Springtime Farro and Kale Salad
• Easy S’mores Candy Bark

I’m making up time for all the missed celebrations with easy recipes. What’s your go-to barbecue side dish?

Thank you to Smart & Final for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

At 18, I got my dream job. Well, my first dream job. I worked at the most laid-back, hippie-run coffee shop and restaurant. We served salads, smoothies, wraps, and coffee drinks to the kindest group of people. In addition to being so much fun, the food was insanely fresh and delicious. It was the first place I realized that a salad wasn’t always the first course. A salad can be delicious and incredibly filling.

When Smart & Final reached out with a yummy springtime salad, I knew I needed to share it with you!

Enjoy the best of springtime seasonal produce with tons of sweet and crunchy foods. It’s flavorful and refreshing, plus got the protein you need to feel satisfied. Great for a picnic, Easter dinner, or prep-ahead meals, this Farro & Kale Salad is topped with sunflower seeds, asparagus, and grapes. Add optional shrimp to make it even more filling.

Farro and Kale Salad with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Grapes

Recipe created by Patricia Bannan MS RDN. Reprinted with permission from Smart & Final.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 tbsp. Sun Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tbps. Sun Harves apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 1 cup farro, dry
• 2 large bundles of kale, roughly chopped with stems removed (about 6 cups chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Sun Harvest extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1-in pieces (or shaved)
• 1 cup radishes, quartered
• 1 cup red seedless grapes, quartered
• 1/4 cup mint, chopped
• 2 tablespoons First Street unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2 ounces goat cheese

Shrimp (optional)

• 16 ounces Sun Harvest shrimp, cold water, wild caught, thawed and dry
• 1 tablespoon Sun Harvest extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Start by preparing the dressing. Add all ingredients to a bowl & whisk. If you’re looking to get ahead, the dressing will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in a refrigerator.

To prepare the salad, cook the farro according to your package directions and allow to cool. Add your kale to a large bowl. To cut down on the bitterness of the kale, add olive oil and massage gently for 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.

If adding shrimp: Pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp until opaque and fully cooked, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Top salad with farro and shrimp. Salad will keep for up to 2 days in refrigerator when covered.

Fun tip:  Shaving asparagus is a fun way to make your salad extra fancy. Lay the stalk on a cutting board at the bottom. Use a vegetable peeler to shave into ribbons, peeling away from tougher end. Ditch any woody parts.

Stock Up on Spring Savings at Smart & Final

I’m so ready to spring clean my recipes as we head into the new season. Spring’s got so many delightful foods in season. You can grab all your produce with one-stop shopping at Smart & Final. I found a variety of kale, including organic options. We also picked up the asparagus, radishes, grapes, and sunflower seeds.

Knowing my springtime meals will include numerous salads with homemade dressings, I love that I can stock up on Sun Harvest products like extra virgin olive oil in sizes that make sense for me. With the savings, I’ve got a little more in my budget for a few premade desserts and other entertaining products.

Everything needed for celebrating spring flavors is ready for you in one quick trip to your local Smart & Final, from themed paper products to recipe ingredients.

Looking for more Spring recipes?

• Carrot Patch Cupcakes
• Bunny Oreos
• Boysenberry Shortcake Recipe

Smart & Final makes it easy to stock up on springtime must-haves. Whether you’re shopping in store or online.

Thank you, Smart & Final, for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Make a cute lunch that doubles as a bonding experience with your family. My holiday helpers love making their own pizzas. Personalizing their meals is fun way to encourage their love of cooking.

Are you on the hunt for kid-friendly dishes this Thanksgiving? Try an Easy Turkey Pita Pizza with ingredients from your local Smart & Final.

Easy Turkey Pita Pizzas

Ingredients:

• Pita Pockets
• First Street Mozzarella Cheese
• First Street Pizza Sauce
• Toppings (I used Salami, Pepperoni, Bell Peppers, Olives, and a small amount of Cheddar Cheese for the beak & feet)

How to Make an Easy Turkey Pita Pizza

The creation of the pita pizza is as much fun as it is yummy!

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Farenheit.

Spread pizza sauce on your pita pizza. Top it with generous amounts of mozzarella chese.

Use the dried salami for the body of your turkey. Then, use your favorite pizza toppings arranged to resemble feathers. Rainbows of pepperoni with bell pepper strips & olives topped our pita pizzas. This is an opportunity to be creative and have some fun!

Bake your pizzas for 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Smart & Final Holiday Helper Giveaway

One food run and you’re done. That’s all it took to nab all of the supplies for our Turkey Pita Pizzas, plus supplies for Thanksgiving dinner. From fresh produce to pumpkin pie ingredients, you can pick up all of your holiday meal ingredients at your local Smart & Final. You can add your local Smart & Final employees to your list of holiday helpers.

My holiday helpers are also my three girls. They’re the reason I want our celebrations to be special. I’ve always tried to ensure they had active roles in the holiday preparations. From list making to cart filling, pizza crafting to pumpkin pie tasting, my holiday helpers are making the festivities fun…and delicious!

Who are your holiday helpers? Is it the friend who does a grocery run for you? Maybe a partner whose an essential worker? Perhaps your mom who has the secret family recipes?

Enter to win groceries for a year from Smart & Final!

Share a picture of your holiday helper on your social media channels with #MySmartandFinal to enter to win groceries for a year!

Tis the season for joining together in the kitchen for holiday meals. From Thanksgiving turkey pizzas to prepping for Christmas, you can get all of the supplies needed at your local Smart & Final.

Thank you, Smart & Final, for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nachos, pizza, pretzels — one of my favorite parts of watching a game at a baseball stadium is the snacks. While we may not be able to watch every game at the stadium (or any in this 2020 season), we can indulge on game day eats and sweets at home.

Smart & Final makes it easy to root for the home team…at home!

I headed to my local Smart & Final for all of the supplies needed to make game day one for the record books. I love that I can stock up on everything from food and drinks to paper goods and cleaning products all in one spot.

Looking for inspiration for at-home baseball snacks? Try these!

• Nacho Bar
• DIY Pizzas
• Hot Dogs with All Your Favorite Toppings
• Baked Potatoes & Chili
• Pasta

The best part about being at home is you can dig into dishes that would be harder to eat at the stadium. Plus, you can curate your menu to suit every fan’s preferences.

Now, I wouldn’t advise tossing your peanut shells on the ground in your living room, but I WOULD advise getting baseball classics while shopping at Smart & Final. The best news is that your trip down the snack aisle will result in pre-packaged goodies that are ready to go. Grab popcorn, cotton candy, and Cracker Jack’s individually packaged.

If you’re looking for a new treat to enjoy while cheering on your home team, try these super easy Baseball Donuts. They only require two ingredients, and are perfect for beginning bakers.

Easy Baseball Donuts

Ingredients

• First Street Powdered Donuts
• Wilton Writing Gel, Red

How to Make Easy Baseball Donuts

It’s so simple to decorate your First Street Powdered Donuts to look like little baseballs!

Using your Wilton Writing Gel, found in the baking aisle, make a letter “C” and a backwards “C.” Then make stitches on your baseball by making little horizontal lines.

The gel will set, but is still pretty forgiving if you need to nudge your lines a little.

For a fun way to serve your donuts, tie a ribbon halfway done lollipop stick. Then load three donuts on top! If you find your donuts are slipping, a cardstock circle with a hole punched in the middle makes for a great base.

Hack: If you’re opting to stack your baseball donuts, I’d consider leaving some plain.

Making game day at home special is simple with a one-stop shopping trip at your local Smart & Final. Want to feel like you’ve hit a grand slam?! Share a photo with how you root for the home team on social media with the hashtag #MySmartandFinal to be entered to win a $250 gift card.

Hungry for More?

Try an easy kid-friendly snacks with Ice Cream Cone Fruit Cups! They’re a better-for-you treat that’s easy to eat!

Rooting for the home team at home couldn’t be easier than with tailgating supplies from Smart & Final. What’s your favorite game day snack?

Thank you to Smart & Final for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Keeping little ones busy and fed is a full-time job! If you feel like the snack requests are a bit daunting, try infusing some fun into your snack time by making the preparation a super fun activity!

Part play, part snack hack — these three ideas are easy to create with your family. I grabbed the supplies from my local Smart & Final store. I love how easy it is to grab all of the supplies I need…from produce to paper goods all in one stop.

These days I’ve been relying more and more on store deliveries, too. That’s one of my favorite busy mom hacks, but these snacks hacks are adorable and delicious.

Super Fun Snack Hacks

Fruit & Pancake Kabobs

To make a Fruit & Pancake Kabob, you’ll need:

• Sliced fruit like strawberries and bananas
• Mini pancakes
• Straws

Slice your fruit horizontally. Using a First Street straw, thread mini pancakes and fruit of your choice. It’s a great project for little hands.

It’s a little messy, but even sweeter to dip your kabob in syrup.

Mom Hack: Pancakes can be made in advance and frozen. Microwave them to warm up.

Trail Mix Bar

A fun snack for little adventurers is to make DIY trail mixes. Complete with a free printable sign from A Girl and A Glue Gun, the Trail Mix Bar is great for a party.

What to include in your Trail Mix Bar:

• First Street Popcorn
• Assorted nuts
• Dried Fruit
• Raisins
• Chocolate Chips
• Shredded Coconut

Grab brown paper lunch bags to display each item available. Roll down the top to make for easy grabs. Each of my kids grabbed a snack sized First Street bag, which are smaller than sandwich bags and perfect for munching.

Ice Cream in a Bag

No ice cream maker? No problem! Turn your sweets into science with ice cream in a bag.

How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag:

In a First Street sandwich bag, add:

• 1 c half-and-half
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a First Street gallon-sized bag, add:

• 3 cup ice
• 1/3 c kosher salt

Remove any air from your sandwich bag while sealing & place inside the larger bag. Shake vigorously for 5-7 minutes.

Finding fun ways to entertain and feed the family isn’t hard when you can get all of your supplies from Smart & Final.

They’ve got everything you need for super fun snack hacks, healthy meals, and celebrations. Plus, there’s no membership required!

Got a favorite snack hack? Share it in the comments!

Thank you, Smart & Final, for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Are you hosting a nacho bar or a full fiesta for National Nacho Day? I’ve got the inside scoop on everything you need to make your celebration go from mild to hot!

One of the things I adore about my neighborhood is the frequent gatherings. Pumpkin carving parties, tamale making, and Christmas caroling are just some of the things that fill our community social calendar. It doesn’t take much to get everyone together, making memories and having fun.

Another thing I adore about my neighborhood is how convenient it is to pick up everything I need for our celebrations.

Poppy and I headed to our local Smart & Final to pick up everything we needed to celebrate National Nacho Day. That’s right! Nachos get their own day!

You can celebrate National Nacho Day on November 6th with supplies from Smart & Final.

National Nacho Day Supplies

Start with chips and cheese, and then pile on the goodies! You can get them all at Smart & Final!

Here’s what you need for a nacho bar on National Nacho Day:

• First Street Tortilla Chips
• First Street Nacho Cheese Sauce
• Jenno-O Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey, ground beef, and/or shredded chicken
• Black Beans
• First Street Sour Cream
• Assorted Salsas
• Guacamole
• Diced Tomatoes
• Jalapenos
• Shredded Lettuce
• Sliced Olives

Of course, one staple of the nacho bar is the cheese! National Nacho Day just wouldn’t be a celebration without Smart & Final cheese. Did you know Smart & Final sells 13 million pounds of nacho cheese a year?

The First Street Nacho Cheese is made with real cheese. The great jalapeno flavor gives it a slight kick. I opted for the larger 6-pound can for our nacho bar. If you’re fiesta is a little smaller, select the 15-oz size cans.

One of the things I love about a nacho bar is everyone can make their nachos exactly how they like!

Picky kids? They’ll love a DIY Nacho Bar!

Dietary restrictions? Make your nachos suit your needs. Let your guests know that First Street’s Nacho Cheese Sauce is gluten-free, and has 0g of trans fat per serving.

As a host, nacho bars are PERFECT. The nacho cheese is ready to go. I added mine to a crock pot so I could just heat & serve. Other big time savers: I picked up everything I needed in one stop, plus paper products so I wouldn’t have to worry about dishes once the party was done. A rainbow tablecloth from the party aisle made for even easier clean-up.

Want to make hosting a nacho bar even easier? Mix in ready-to-go items like canned sliced olives with fresh ingredients like diced tomatoes.

Whether you’re celebrating National Nacho Day on November 6th or hosting a nacho bar for family and friends, it couldn’t be any easier than shopping at Smart & Final.

Alright nacho fans, what are your favorite toppings? Share them in the comments so we can add them to our National Nacho Day shopping list!

Thank you, Smart & Final, for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Halloween is here, and the sweets are in endless supply. Finding healthier ways to celebrate the season is easy thanks to yummy recipes like this one for Healthy Halloween Monster Bites from Smart & Final chef Patricia Bannan.

Ingredients

Makes 4 bites

• 1 large green apple, cored and quartered
• 4 tbsp. Sun Harvest Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 tbsp. First Street Sliver Almonds
• 1 large strawberry, sliced lengthwise (to make 4 “tongues”)
• 8 First Street Mini Marshmallows
• 8 First Street Chocolate Chips

Directions

To make the “mouths” for your Healthy Halloween Monster Bites, you’ll start by cutting a sliver out of each quartered apple. This will open up the mouth.

Note: save the slivers for another snack to cut down on waste

Fill each “mouth” with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.

You can use the almonds to make “teeth” for your monsters. Push the slivered almonds into the apple on both the top and bottom. Then place a strawberry slice for a “tongue.”

To give your monster even more of a face, it’ll definitely need eyes! Slice a small bit off of one side of marshmallows. This will make the marshmallows sticky so they’ll stay attach to your apples. Attach two mini marshmallow “eyes.” Then, press a chocolate chip into each marshmallows, flat side outward.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, and it doesn’t have to be expensive! These Monster Bites were only $1.50 per recipe when the ingredients were all purchased at Smart & Final.

My youngest and I had a great time shopping for our healthy fall favorites.

What other fall foods will you find at Smart & Final?

Grab veggies like sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and beets. Carrots, squash, and parsnips are in stock, too!

There are tons of yummy apples and grapes on hand.

Plus, the pumpkins are in great supply. We picked up a pack of six pumpkins with paint, perfect for a fall art project. We also nabbed large pumpkins for our porch, too!

If you’re celebrating Oktoberfest, Smart & Final has brats that will be perfect for cheering “Prost!”

All of the best flavors of the season from Oktoberfest brats to healthy Halloween treats are at Smart & Final.

Are you ready to celebrate Halloween with healthy foods from Smart & Final? Share your favorite fall foods in the comments! W

Thank you, Smart & Final for sponsoring this post. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I don’t know what I want for lunch today, so it may not come as a huge shock that I also don’t know what I want to be when I grow up (if I ever grow up). But one thing I’ve known my entire life is that I wanted to be a mom.

I feel incredibly lucky that I get to be their mom!

Mother’s Day is coming up so quickly. Dads, take note! Time is ticking!

My favorite way to spend Mother’s Day is entrenched with these people of mine. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but a day filled with love. I know that in lots of families it’s the mom who does the planning.

Want to know Mom’s secret to planning all of those perfect days? The internet! Yup, the internet gives her inspiration, tips, and recipes.

Here are some tips from Smart & Final for a simple to execute but special Mother’s Day breakfast with can’t miss expressions of love and appreciation.

5 Mother’s Day Tips from Smart & Final

1.      Cards – Homemade from the kids are the best! Set aside some time in the week leading up to Mother’s Day to have the kids sit down and create a personalized masterpiece that she is sure to adore. Have a crazy schedule? Cards can quickly be accomplished in the morning as you let mom sleep in. One from you should definitely be in the stack, Dad.

2.      Decorate – Add a little pizzazz to the celebration. Mini-posters with messages like “I Heart Mom” add a festive touch. You can make personalized signs that include family pictures or other things Mom adores. And don’t forget the flowers. Yes, they’re cliche’, but they are also so sweet.

3.      Breakfast – Breakfast in bed made by the kids with an assist from you is a must-do. And wait until you see how easy this is! Here is a recipe for a delicious Monte Cristo Pancake Sandwich from Celebrity Chef Jamie Gwen that includes a link to purchase the main ingredients with one click of the button. Add in some fresh fruit and a mug of her favorite coffee, and her Mother’s Day will be off to a tasty start!

There are tons of yummy recipes on the Smart & Final website.

• Blueberry Pancake Coffee Cake
• Serious Boost Morning Smoothie (made with cold brew coffee)
• Mascarpone Berry Brownie Pizza

4.      Clean Up After Breakfast – This is straight up critical. Kids in the kitchen equals a huge mess. Whatever you do, do not leave her with a disaster zone of a kitchen. Take a few minutes to clean up with the kids after you make her a delicious breakfast and while we’re at it, make sure it is a mess free day in general.

5.      Gift Time – It doesn’t have to be expensive. As a matter of fact, it can be free, but a token from you and the kids should also be on the breakfast menu. A nice piece of jewelry or a gift card to her favorite store (along with time to shop solo!) are always winners.

For a gift of your time vs. something material, now that you know how easy it is to order groceries online based on your experience making the Monte Cristo Pancake Sandwich, offer to be in charge of buying groceries and have the kids put them away for the next week, or month, or forever. Forever totally works.

The itinerary after this will be different for each family. Will she want to go on a hike with the family or enjoy some alone time at the spa? If you know for sure, schedule it, if not, ask to make sure the rest of her Mother’s Day is perfect for her. You’ve got this, dad!

What’s on the Mother’s Day itinerary for you? Share you plans in the comments!