What’s New on Pinterest: Spring is Here!

Spring is Here. Truly. Time to spring forward with menu ideas, swapping in-season freshness (think pea, fennel and mint soup) for winter’s rib-sticking stews. Make aheads of chickpea, tomato and basil salad, spring rolls and tomato-basil-artichoke chicken help get chow on the table fast. Turn spring’s greens into a cheery cherry tomato, leek and spinach quiche; spring vegetable gnocchi; asparagus-goat cheese soufflé; beet, avocado and grapefruit salad; or a spring pizza with egg, prosciutto and asparagus. Blend smoothies for slurpable nourishment on the way from point A to point B activities or stir sippable cocktails and teas for relaxing at home or outdoor concerts. And, we have a sweet spot for pretty desserts -- pavlova with berries and lemon curd, pastel macarons, strawberry pie and blueberry Key lime cupcakes to name a few.

What’s New on Pinterest: Easter Delights

Toss the Peeps and jelly beans in favor of Easter Delights. Cheesecake-filled chocolate Easter eggs, cupcakes topped with shaved chocolate nests and Cadbury mini eggs and “golden” chocolate eggs. Dye eggs for fun then devil them for the Easter spread. Italian Easter torta, braided Easter bread, cute bunny biscuits and Easter tea cakes are too precious to pass up, as are spring table settings and luscious entrées. And actually, bright Peeps do look pretty cute bouncing up straws or hopping atop Jell-O shots.

What’s New on Pinterest: Loaded Nachos

Here’s the scoop on Loaded Nachos, incredibly quick ways to feed a bunch of hungry basketball-viewing fans this month. Think Hawaiian pulled pork or loaded BBQ chicken nachos instead of plopping saucy meat on buns or pizza nachos that favor crisp chips over doughy crusts. For something different, top nachos with shrimp, chorizo and fresh pico de gallo, lobster, an Irish-y Reuben topping or veer off chips onto Cuban nachos tatchos. S’mores and apple-caramel are “nacho” usual dessert…had to throw that pun in somewhere.

What’s New on Pinterest

We’re using our noggins to whip up Eggnog Delights just for you and yours. Traditionalists will adore punchbowls and pours of peppermint-eggnog punch, spiked and spiced bacon eggnog, eggnog chai smoothies or Martha Stewart’s eggnog martini (hold the olive, please). Go ahead, spike that eggnog French toast bake (we won’t tell) for an eye-opening breakfast. Prefer to chew instead of raising a glass of the brew? Try eggnog arroz con leche and cranberry parfaits, gingerbread trifle, eggnog pound cake and cake rolls, fudge, meltaways and frosted cookies to jolly-fy the office cookie exchange.

What’s New on Pinterest

We’re thankful for friendships 365 days a year. And so we pause, as we enter the season of Thanksgiving, to express our gratitude in our favorite food-centric way through Friendsgiving Festivities. We’re talking good old-fashioned hospitality, centered around unpretentious yet delicious eats involving brining (look out, turkeys), wining and dining. Try siding a Cajun turkey with easy holiday slaw with apples and pomegranate, crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic, grandma’s corn casserole, roasted butternut soup with pears along with “thankful” rolls and no-knead Dutch oven crusty bread. We’re all for toasting friends with bourbon butterbeer, cinnamon maple whiskey sours, Crock-Pot mulled wine and homemade hot apple cider. Getting together for morning coffee? Crock-Pot apple pie breakfast and one-minute cinnamon rolls in mugs deserve a place at the table.

What’s New on Pinterest

Baby, it’s getting cold outside. Brrrring on Healthy Soups! chases chills with pots of liquid gold -- creamy sweet potato and coconut soup, easy Thai shrimp soup, skinny broccoli cheddar soup or lemon chicken orzo soup. Detox after Halloween indulgences by stocking up on “Flush the Fat Away” or “Cleansing Detox” soup. Take stock in thick and hearty soups of kale, white bean and sausage, Crock-Pot jalapeño, chicken and sweet corn or Crock-Pot minestrone. Bowls, spoons, crusty bread and you’re all set. Plus, everyone knows soup tastes even better the next day so go ahead and make a big batch.

What’s New on Pinterest

There’s proof in these Boozy Bites that you can add spirits to about any recipe. Bourbon pours itself into bacon jam, bacon brittle, Jack Daniel’s-glazed carrots, chocolate truffles and brown sugar pound cake. Guinness goes into beef sliders, braises short ribs and makes a stout chocolate cake. Fireball whiskey ups the cinnamon punch in apple crisp, Kahlua pokes chocolate cake and Baileys tricks out mini cheesecakes and brownies in after-dinner drink-and-dessert combos. As if for an exclamation point, bloody mary tomato bombs spiked with vodka and hot sauce are, well, the bomb.

What’s New on Pinterest: How 'Bout That Hummus

How ‘Bout That Hummus? The smooth chameleon of dips and spreads adapts to the theme du jour. Mediterranean purists can scoop classic, Kalamata olive, lemon garlic or Jerusalem hummus. Dabblers, turn your attention to magenta-hued vegan beet, caramelized onion or roasted poblano sweet corn. Contrast sugar and spice by whipping batches of addicting chocolate chip cookie dough or banana bread hummus as well as batches of Buffalo, turmeric sweet potato or smoky chipotle pumpkin hummus. Out of pasta sauce? Hmmmmm. Hummus saves face, again.

What’s New on Pinterest: Keep it Crisp and Cool

When the mercury rises and weather app shows sun and 90s, the forecast calls for icy refreshers to Keep it Crisp and Cool. Have some summer fun with Swedish fish candies swimming in a sea of Fishbowl Punch vodka, Blue Curaçao liqueur, coconut rum and pineapple juice. Strawberry basil sangria, rosemary and gin sparkling lemonade, blackberry prosecco “popsicles” and strawberry watermelon cocktails make the most of summer fruits and herbs. Mojito chasing the heat-o? Make mine blueberry lemon lavender, mango or San Pellegrino blood orange, thank you very much.

What’s New on Pinterest: Rise and Shine for Hot Breakfast Time

Cold winter mornings and cold cereal are frankly frigid wake-up thoughts. Instead, Rise and Shine for Hot Breakfast Time during National Hot Breakfast Month. Before venturing out, warm tummies with cheesy grits with spinach and fried eggs, sausage biscuits and gravy skillet cobbler, American breakfast tacos or savory oatmeal and soft-cooked egg. We’ve found frittatas galore and perfect omelettes that are “da bomb-lette” when filled with pesto and roasted tomatoes. Park the pancake mix box in favor of brown sugar pancakes with maple bacon butter, cinnamon roll pancakes and churro waffles. And if hot breakfast brunches into lunch, so be it.

What's New on Pinterest: Refreshingly Rejuvenated

Who needs a celebrity personal trainer/chef to prepare healthy eats when there’s our Refreshingly Rejuvenated board to spur you on? Start 2017 clean as a whistle by following a 72-hour juice cleanse. Counter winter dehydration by DIY-ing flavor-infused waters. Ginger power hot flu shots “blast away those nasties.” Wise chews and brews include Buddha bowls, acai smoothie bowls, avocado, kale and raspberry smoothie bowls, and banana almond flax or blueberry superfood smoothies.

What's New on Pinterest: New Year, New You

New Year, New You stocks an arsenal of healthy ideas. Raid the kitchen instead of the drug store for cold and flu fighting drinks and detox-ers. Prep for the work week by portioning out skinny Southwest chicken salad or honey sesame chicken into lunch bowls, making protein stacks that actually fill you up or compiling a grocery list based on no-cook meal preps for 1,200-1,500 calories per day. Greet morning sipping a groovy mango-orange-banana sunrise smoothie then stick a straw in a chocolate peanut butter or cucumber avocado smoothie to fill up and hydrate midday. And yes, Santa, there really are comfort foods and healthy dinners coming in under 500 calories. Believe.

What’s New on Pinterest: Holiday Happy Hour

Plan your party menu around Holiday Happy Hour bites and prevent awkward plate-utensil-cocktail-oops juggling moments for guests. Skip the whole knife/fork/spoon thing with these right-sized morsels. Spear savory filet mignon bites, wield skewered shrimp, nibble away on lollipop-style baked brie pastry or lift pimento cheese and bacon balls on pretzel sticks. Santa hat cheesecake bites and chicken and waffle sliders are off the grid in cuteness. Eggnog ditches the mug in mini cheesecakes in gingerbread cookie crusts, leaving the other hand free to hold a ginger snap cocktail, “Coquito” (coconut eggnog), spiced cranberry rum old-fashioned, “Jingle Juice,” Christmas sangria or white Christmas margarita punch.

What’s New on Pinterest: Peppermint Palooza

Canes, crushed or Starlight mints. Peppermint Palooza is worth its stripes for all of you hooked on candy canes and Starlight mints. Crush those mints to sprinkle on lollipop-ish peppermint crunch Oreo cookie balls or to dust on a tray of peppermint bark. Pretty and pretty easy peppermint shortbread bar cookies, no-bake white chocolate peppermint cheesecake and chocolate chip-mint Greek yogurt pops are cool Yule beauties. For an afternoon coffee and chocolate pick me up, throw together mocha peppermint scones or dark chocolate peppermint fudge to go with Crock-Pot peppermint latte. And when the tykes are tucked in, curl up for sweet dreams of homemade peppermint marshmallow pillows floating atop spiked peppermint eggnog punch. To all, a good night.

What’s New on Pinterest: Crafty Christmas

The reindeer have landed…as Oreo reindeer pops and teams of antlered bottles of root beer. Open Crafty Christmas and deck the halls with DIY Christmas food gifts and crafts. Make it a “Ho, Ho, Ho!” happening afternoon or evening by gathering friends or family to join the fun. Welcome them with mugs of hot cocoa floating marshmallow snowmen and some “crazy Christmas foods.” Create miniature Santa hat bites using strawberries, whipped cream and brownie bites, construct a pull-apart Santa cake from colorfully frosted cupcakes. For greenery, plant a tabletop forest of handcrafted, edible Christmas trees and make green cornflake wreathes. Everyone loves handmade gifts, and there’s a seemingly bottomless Santa bag of ideas here for elves of all ages.

What’s New on Pinterest: Leave Me the Leftovers

Fess up. How many of you are happily in love with the Thanksgiving dinner “hang overs,” a.k.a. leftovers? Leave Me the Leftovers might as well have your name emblazoned across the top. Turkey, cranberry and brie egg rolls and Thanksgiving leftovers stromboli encapsulate our purposeful vision. Turn out cheesy breakfast stuffing cakes and toasty croque madame sammies or fill sweet potato biscuits to sustain holiday shoppers. For brunch or an easy supper, pour a spinach and turkey frittata in the pan or press waffles from stuffing and top with turkey, gravy, sauce or the like. Game on in the background? Couch coaches will call time-out for soup when scents of simmering turkey and dumplings, chili or turkey barley soup waft their way.

What’s New on Pinterest: All the Fixins

This Thanksgiving, dress to impress. Um. Referring to the tabletop real estate around the turkey (or tofu turkey). Find All the Fixins you’ll need on one groaning board of appetizers, sides, salads and a caseload of cranberry condiments. Give green bean casserole a rest and fix green beans with caramelized pecans or slow cooker green beans. Autumn squash salad or shredded collard green salad with roasted sweet potatoes are beauties to behold and healthy, too. Toast roasted veggies – honey roasted Brussels sprouts, classy roasted domino potatoes (arranged in domino rows) or twice-baked butternut squash with Parmesan cream and candied bacon. Let’s be grateful for gratins of golden-brown vegetables, mashed potatoes and cauliflower or creamed corn with fried onion rings and bacon. Okay, so start fixin’!

What’s New on Pinterest: Frightful & Flavorful

Knock, knock. Who’s gobblin’ at your door this Halloween? Be prepared for an onslaught of ghouls, zombies, fairy princesses and superheroes with Frightful & Flavorful fare. You’re not imagining things, we’ve found healthy Halloween snack ideas for kids. Freaky cakes resembling brains. Wonton bats to bite. Toxic waste mac and cheese. Mummy-wrapped baked brie. And after you carve that pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern, do likewise to an orange bell pepper and stuff it with shredded chicken and black beans instead of a candle.

What’s New on Pinterest: Pumpkin Lovin'

Squash ideas of other flavors – it’s time for Pumpkin Lovin', and we’ve carved out a Pinterest board with pumpkin recipes for every meal. Breakfast calls for pumpkin French toast casserole or maple-glazed pumpkin Poptarts. At lunchtime, cozy up to a selection of pumpkin soups, and for dinner, fork into pumpkin, spinach and walnut spaghetti or penne pasta with mild Italian sausage in a creamy pumpkin-sage sauce. Dessert? Slice into no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, take a bite out of pumpkin spice truffles or cut the calories with low-fat pumpkin mousse pie.

What’s New on Pinterest: Apples for Every Appetite

Pick a bushel of Apples for Every Appetite recipes for National Apple Month. Honor October’s fruit by making mini caramel apples, bourbon apple butter, apple crisp, butternut squash apple soup, salad with walnuts and cranberries, apple fries and fried pies. Make your own apple cider vinegar then put it to work in apple cider chicken with caramelized apples. Summer’s coppery Moscow Mule cups are equally adept at holding apple cider mules for fall.