food

How To Throw a Pinterest-Level Party Without Losing Your Mind (Or Blowing Your Budget)

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Have you ever looked at pictures of a party on Pinterest and thought, I could never do that? Well, I’m here to tell you that you can. And I don’t mean that in a “you can do anything you put your mind to” kind of way. Well, maybe a little. But mostly I mean that you can pull it off without sacrificing your sanity, your work-life balance, or your savings.

Really.

Over the years, I’ve shared with you many of the parties I’ve done for my kids. I’ve thrown themed parties for each birthday my kids have had. And in that time, I’ve learned a few things about how to do it in a way that doesn’t make me want to swear off parties forever.

Let me share with you my 5 key tips.

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Squash & Green Beans in Coconut Milk {Filipino Food Month}

Hi everyone! It’s still Filipino Food Month, and today I’m directing you to an amazing recipe that I love. It’s simple and just so delicious. It’s from a blog called the Ivory Hut. She has a lot of delicious Filipino recipes there, so you should check her out. We made this for dinner last night and it was a hit all around. Little Man doesn’t love green beans, but he kept asking for more and more squash.

As a kid, I was never a huge fan of squash. My grandma makes squash by boiling and mashing it and topping with with butter & brown sugar. When I was little, I always ate it, but tried my best to get a spoonful mostly of brown sugar. Then in middle school in the Philippines, I was served a dish similar to the one you see above at a school event. I asked my friends what this delicious orange vegetable was, and to my surprise they said squash. I’ve loved it ever since, in any form. But I’ll always hold a special place in my heart (stomach?) for this dish, with the lovely combination of squash and coconut milk. This version with crispy bacon is especially delightful, and couldn’t be easier to make.

For those of you still in the thralls of winter weather on this first day of spring, it’s a wonderfully comforting and filling meal for a cold day.

Mango Float {Filipino Food Month}

It’s my first installment for Filipino Food Month! And in keeping with my birthday theme, we’re having dessert first.

This is a popular Filipino dessert, and it couldn’t be easier to make. Really, there’s not much you can screw up. It tastes amazing, and you only need 4 ingredients: Mangoes (the yellow ones, please), graham crackers, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk. And since it’s built around fruit, it’s totally healthy for you! (cough cough… )

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