Even though summer still feels so far away and we just got a dusting of snow this past weekend, it is time to start thinking about my vegetable garden! If you want to start your garden from seeds, a good way to get a head start on the growing season is to sprout your seeds indoors. In Ohio, we have a shorter window of warm weather than many other parts of the country. By starting my plants indoors now, I can transplant them outside to my garden beds when old man winter moves on and the threat of frost is gone.

During one year that I lived in Arkansas, I developed a massive Pad Thai obsession. Probably due to the fact that I was working full time and also pursuing my MBA online at night, and there was an Asian fusion restaurant that delivered to my house. I was always crunched for time, and definitely got to know the delivery folks there on a first name basis.

Fat Tuesday isn't until February 28th this year, but carnival season is well under way in New Orleans! Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday that lands 47 days before Easter. While Mardi Gras is technically only one day, carnival season kicks off each year on January 6th. Even though I am not down in Nola watching the parades this year, I am still participating in the festivities from up here in Ohio. Even if it's just in my own kitchen!