It’s that magical time of year again—no, not spring. Not St. Patrick’s Day. Not even “let’s pretend winter is over even though it’s still snowing” season. Nope, I’m talking about Shamrock Shake season!

And no one is more excited than Ivy. Seriously, the second McDonald’s put those neon-green beauties back on the menu, she was READY. We didn’t hesitate. We jumped in the car and made a beeline for the drive-thru because, obviously, I had to hook my girl up.

But here’s the thing: why wait for a limited-time-only shake when we could have them anytime? I mean, what kind of cruel world makes us wait an entire year for something so simple? I refuse to live like that.

Now, Ivy’s dad loves to tease me that I always have to do things the hard way. “Why buy it when you can make it yourself in three times the effort?” he jokes. And honestly? He’s not wrong. But in my defense, sometimes the hard way is also the delicious way. And if I can make it myself, you’d better believe I’m going to try.

Which brings me to my grand experiment: making our very own Shamrock Shake at home. Spoiler alert—it was ridiculously good, way cheaper than the real thing, and (if I do say so myself) absolutely gorgeous.

Why Make Your Own?

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: Why mess with perfection? And listen, I get it. But let’s break this down:

• No drive-thru necessary. Which means no waiting in line, no deciphering the garbled voice through the speaker, and no driving home with a rapidly melting shake while resisting the urge to drink it in the car.
• It’s cheaper. I love a good seasonal treat, but I do not love paying premium prices for what is essentially minty ice cream in a cup.
• You control the ingredients. Want it extra minty? Done. Prefer it less sweet? Easy. Need it dairy-free? No problem. Want to add extra whipped cream because you’re an adult and no one can stop you? Living the dream, my friend.
• It’s fun! Honestly, it’s just satisfying to make things yourself. Plus, it gives me a tiny sense of power, like Ha! I have conquered the Shamrock Shake!

So, without further ado, let me share my version of the famous green shake.

Homemade Shamrock Shake

(Makes 2 generous servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream (or dairy-free alternative)
• ¾ cup milk (any kind—whole, almond, oat, whatever floats your boat)
• ½ teaspoon mint extract -you can sub in peppermint here too.
• 4-5 drops green food coloring (or as much as your heart desires)
• Whipped cream (because obviously)
• Maraschino cherries (for that official McDonald’s vibe)
• Optional: sprinkles, crushed Andes mints, or even chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy

Instructions:

1. Toss the ice cream, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring into a blender. Blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk. If it’s too thin, add more ice cream. Precision is for other people.
2. Pour into two glasses (or one giant glass if you don’t feel like sharing).
3. Top with an obnoxious amount of whipped cream. Like, really go for it. Live your best life.
4. Add a cherry on top because it’s the law.
5. Garnish with whatever extras you want. Sprinkles? Sure. Crushed Andes mints? Why not. Gold flakes to feel extra festive? If you’ve got ‘em, use ‘em.
6. Grab a straw, take a sip, and bask in the glory of your homemade masterpiece.

Final Verdict: Was It Worth It?

Absolutely.

Ivy was thrilled, I felt like a wizard, and even Zander (who is not easily impressed by my kitchen experiments) admitted it was “actually really good.” High praise from an 18-year-old.

Would it have been easier to just go back to McDonald’s? Probably. Would it have been as fun? No way. Plus, now that I know how easy it is, we can have Shamrock Shakes whenever we want. Ivy doesn’t have to wait for the season to roll around—she’s got a mom who makes things from scratch just because she can. And honestly? That’s a win in my book.

So, if you need me, I’ll be in my kitchen, making yet another round of shakes while Ivy cheers me on and her dad shakes his head, muttering, “You really can’t just take the easy route, can you?” Nope. No, I cannot. But at least I have a delicious green shake to sip while I do things my way.

It’s that time of year again—Super Bowl Sunday is creeping up, and I’m already thinking about snacks. Because let’s be honest, the food is the best part. Especially since the Chiefs are in it AGAIN and since we live Broncos Country, the boys are unhappy and that means there’s a hard cap on how much enthusiasm we're all willing to muster for yet another Chiefs Super Bowl. Ivy? She doesn’t care at all. She’s only in it for the Puppy Bowl, and honestly, I respect that.

But one thing we do agree on? Sourdough pretzel bites. They’re the undisputed champs of game-day snacking. They’re chewy, salty, and made for dunking in an irresponsibly large bowl of cheese dip. Or mustard, if you’re into that. Personally, I’m going all in on the cheese because, well, life is short and snacks are sacred.  If you're going to snack, you've gotta SNACK!

Sourdough Pretzel Bites Recipe

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup sourdough starter (discard works great!)

• ¾ cup warm water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1½ tsp salt

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• ⅓ cup baking soda (for boiling)

• Coarse salt for sprinkling

What You’ll Do:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, warm water, sugar, and salt. Slowly add the flour and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough (about 5-7 minutes). Cover and let it rest for an hour.

2. Preheat your oven to 425°F and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the baking soda (fair warning: it foams up like crazy, so add it slowly).

3. Roll the dough into long ropes (about ½ inch thick) and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Drop them into the boiling water in batches, letting them float for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Brush the bites with melted butter, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.