This year, instead of the typical (yet delicious) corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to make a less ubiquitious Irish dish, but one that should be right up there in popularity with that beautiful brisket. Potato boxty are merely Ireland’s version of a potato pancake: something in between a traditional pancake and a latke, to give you a reference point. Boxty can be served plain, or garnished with many different sweet or savory toppings. They’d be a great flexitarian centerpiece for your St. Paddy’s festivities — not to mention being incredibly cheap and easy to make. I topped this year’s boxty bounty with a mouthwatering melange of caramelized onions, ribbons of pale green cabbage, and, of course, bacon. Oh, and ’cause the Irish are known for their dairy, I threw in some cream. And a kiss of Irish whiskey, too. What are you eating on St. Patrick’s Day? — Megan B.
Click for the recipe, after the jump! (more…)

If there can be any silver lining at all found in the horrific disasters that recently hit New Zealand and Japan, perhaps it’s that many more of us will be better prepared should a similar event occur closer to home. I felt a little like a crazy survivalist when I told my husband I thought we should have an emergency stash of food and water in case “the big one” hits the Pacific Northwest, as seismologists have warned, but Jamie Lee Curtis is making me feel a lot less dorky. As spokesperson for the American Red Cross campaign, Do More Than Cross Your Fingers, she touts her preparedness stance and offers tips for what to put in your emergency kit. I bought a few IKEA SAMLA storage bins for supplies and am starting to fill empty 2-liter plastic bottles with tap water. Originally I was only thinking of storing food and water, but FEMA and the Red Cross suggested much more. So now I will also be packing a First Aid kit, blanket, fleece jackets, some old boots, a Leatherman multi-tool, can opener, flashlight and extra cash. Since an earthquake would likely force us outside our home, I’ll be putting our kit in our detached garage. Depending on the types of catastrophes that could hit your area, an evacuation backpack in your entryway closet or a kit in your basement could make more sense. Have you, too, been inspired by recent events to start an emergency kit, or have you been prepared for a while? What’s in yours? — Ginny F.

Last spring, I bought this simple white pitcher from Target for $13.49, along with several packs of wildfower seeds from the Dollar Spot. While I’m still happy with the pitcher, the seeds didn’t sprout. Not a single one. So this year, in addition to trying some more seeds from any place other than Target, I’m also on the hunt for a cut flower farm or farmer’s market. You can find one near you at Local Harvest . — Sarah L.

As many of us are reminded often, Anthropologie can be a cruel and unrelenting mistress; a siren who lures us in with her gorgeous wares only to have our bank accounts come crashing down on the jagged rocks of reality. I’m swooning over the Verdant Bread Bin, for example, but my wallet is drawing a hard line in the sand at the $158 price tag. One item I can get away with? This set of Milk Bottle Measuring Cups, $24. The colored enamel interior is an adorable detail in this stackable set, and the compact size and palatable price can surely sweet talk both my tiny kitchen and little budget into a guilt-free purchase. — Sarah C.

Repurposing items for nifty and imaginative alternate uses is where it’s at, but repurposing Ikea items? Now that’s where you’re bound to get a project at a price you can’t beat. I’m always amazed by the projects featured on Ikea Hackers, but for those of us with less time, space or power tool prowess, nothing compares to a straight up, no-mess repurpose. Lillian of Domestic Simplicity has a great one with her use of Ikea spice racks, $3.99 each, to store children’s books. With their slim design, the racks are the perfect way to let little ones see the covers of their favorite books while preserving floor space in small bedrooms. –Sarah C.

If you’d be so kind to oblige me and roll the clock back to grade school, we’re breaking for a moment from today’s serious science coverage to bring you this important announcement: Pi Day is back. Yes, after 364 long days, 3/14 has finally rolled around again and with it, a moment to appreciate the festivities associated with our favorite mathematical constant, pi. Last year, we brought you ThinkGeek’s Pi-tini recipe, among other things and this year fortune has smiled on us again: the ThinkGeek Pizza Pi Cutter is now on sale for a hot $12.99! (We won’t talk about how the Pi By Numbers Blanket is out of stock.) Baking pies is obviously a staple activity on Pi Day and our friends at NPR are celebrating with this delicious recipe roundup for the occasion, which includes Sweet Potato Pie, Pizza Pie, Granola Cranberry Walnut Pie, and the aptly-titled Pimp My Mince Pie. How are you observing Pi Day? Check out PiDay.org for ideas. –Sarah C.

Photo: Claire O’Neill for NPR

Chances are if you’re a certified science nerd or a foodie with a serious study habit, you’ve at least heard of Nathan Myhrvold. In the mid-1990s Myhrvold took a leave of absence from his job as the chief technology officer at Microsoft to attend a professional chef’s school in France. The lifelong love of the science of cooking not only spurred that trip, but also inspired his next project, Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking. Self-published with the help of co-authors Chris Young and Maxime Bilet, the 40-pound, six-volume cookbook provides an in-depth look into how the incorporation of science and technology in the kitchen can change the way we experience food. While its stunning, cutaway photography, 2,438 pages and 1,600 recipes deem this a one-of-a-kind find, the $625 price tag ($462.61 online), might just keep this one in stock. A perfect candidate for the top spot on that “For The Foodie Who Has Everything” list? We think so. –Sarah C.

via NPR

1) $298 is too much for a stepladder. Even if it looks splendid hanging on the wall, Megan B. is going to have to pass on her chic, functional but pricey find. Kimberj says: “As much as I love the designer step ladder (yes I would absolutely hang it on the wall), there’s no way in the world I can justify $298 for a step ladder. I would be afraid I would chip the paint when using it so what possible good is it then?? I’ll stick with my $39.99 step stool from Lowe’s. I’ll use the leftover $260 to buy fabric for my art quilts.”

2) Kitchen gadgets, chocolate and wiper blades are just a few of the items we splurge onbut we tend to leave sunglasses to the discount department. We all seem to have specific money rules. What are yours?

3) Crowd sourcing is key when stocking up on reusable dishware for outdoor parties. Friends, restaurant supply stores and establishments that are going out of business are proven resources for scoring dishes for free.

4) More light and a change of soil might be the saving grace for our terrarium tragedy. Becki S. shared the sad news of her suffering succulents and a change to cactus soil and more appropriate plant pairing could be just what the doctor ordered. RLL Gardens says: “Sorry about your terrarium. Sprout is right on the money with this.The succulent is very unhappy with the moss and is dying because it is too moist. It also looks like it is not getting enough light. The moss likes low light and moisture and the succulent likes bright light and dryness.I would start over with this one and throw out the old soil. Use a cactus soil or mix 1 part sand with 2 parts regular soil. Good luck, and don’t give up.”

ModFruGal shares the next project on her horizon: round patio pavers in all sorts of sizes, like Jenn Ski’s. We’ll admit to bookmarking it for future inspiration!

Yahoo Health has an interesting article about 7 supermarket ripoffs to avoid, like skipping the organic bananas and onions.

Want your humble abode to have a more curated look? Then this article at SF Gate should help: 17 ways to bring the art gallery into your home.

This list makes us feel SO MUCH BETTER. Popular Mechanic’s editors’ 20 biggest DIY mistakes, via DIY life.

A Shelterpop contributor and bedbug survivor visits a Bedbug Convention, lives to tell the tale, and even makes friends.

These colorful and affordable Grow Bags from Gardener’s Supply are a great way to grow a lot in a small space. Via CasaSugar.

10 basic pantry spices you need right now, at Serious Eats. Grains of Paradise? We’ll have to try those out soon…

Image courtesy of Jenn Ski.

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, my mind, like a good Irish girl, goes immediately to whiskey. Honestly, I’m more of a gin gal, but I really love these fun shot glasses nonetheless — and they’d all do fine to toast Erin Go Bragh with a shot of “top shelf” Jameson (though a purist may swear it has to be out of Mullingar pewter to count). — Megan B.

Above: Not so good at sharing? Then the Mine and Yours shot glasses will distribute the hooch between you and your guests “fairly” — $12, from Gama Go.

These Swedish shot glasses by Giarini from huset may be a splurge at $70, but oh, are they pretty. They’d make a great wedding gift, too, just sayin’.

Channel your inner Dillinger with these Mug Shots, $16.95 for a set of 6, at Neatorama. ‘Cause you know all those gangsters drank whiskey.

Or if your tastes tend to the more literary, than combine your drinking with some light reading: Great Thinkers shot glasses, $14.95/4, at Shakespeare’s Den. And what could possibly be more Irish than toasting with a quote from The Emerald Isle’s own W.B. Yeats — “”The problem with some people is that when they’re not drunk they’re sober”. Wiser words have never been written.