How to Make the Perfect Pancakes

Whether sweet or savory, making pancakes can be a great activity to get the whole family involved. Have you ever heard of Shrove Tuesday? I hadn't until I started watching an Irish TV show. Shrove Tuesday is also called Pancake Day. Who knew? 
Pancake Day is the day before Lent commences, a Christian festival which sees people fasting and giving up rich food. It is traditional for those involved to use all their 'bad' foods up in recipes on Shrove Tuesday, hence the idea of serving pancakes with a wide range of fillings. It's always exciting for me to learn about a new cultural tradition. Even if you are just making Saturday morning pancakes or pancakes for brunch, these tips to make the perfect pancakes will still help. 

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How to Celebrate Chinese New Year

This post was sponsored by Ling Ling, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I am a typical American thrown into the melting pot of traditions and culture. Growing up it didn't seem like we had any real cultural traditions we followed as a family, though there are a few now as an adult that I can pinpoint. I just thought we ate saurkraut and sausage on New Year's because it was the only night my dad would tolerate it. I didn't realize that it stemmed from our muddled washed down German roots. When I married into an Italian family that could be easily traced back without too many great great parents getting in the way, it was easier to tie myself to those cultural traditions. Plus I really liked spaghetti and meatballs at every holiday meal {yes Erica, even Easter}. 
For the past few years, I've been volunteering with a group of international college students once a week. I'm learning a lot about their different cultures as I share our own American culture with them. Many of our students celebrate Chinese New Year and it's actually one of their largest celebrations regardless of where they are from. They are all giving me tips on how to celebrate, so this year, I thought I'd fully embrace it and try celebrating Chinese New Year with my American family. 

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