8 Tips for Hosting the Best Galentine’s Day Brunch

Ingredients For Our Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

• 1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To Make Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix well until combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish, and spread it out evenly.
4. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly, and the top is golden brown.
5. Once baked, remove the dip from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with chopped green onions for an extra pop of flavor!
6. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crispy bread slices, or vegetables for dipping!

Notes For This Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

• Using frozen spinach and canned artichokes makes this recipe easier and quicker. You have the option to use fresh ingredients, if you want to!
• Add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you want the spinach artichoke dip to have a kick of spice.
• Keep an eye on the dip while it bakes, making sure it doesn't bubble over. If you're struggling to get that golden brown layer on the top, broil the dip for a few minutes at the end of its baking time.
• You aren't totally limited to Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Though these cheeses make for the most traditional flavor, you can throw in some different kinds of cheeses to amp up the taste.

Sweet + spicy is a flavor combo that we will never fall out of love with, which makes us love this margarita recipefor V-Day. (via Brit + Co)

Grapefruit is so full of flavor, especially in the winter, which makes it a great pick for an anytime pink cocktail. (via Brit + Co)

This pink cocktail is equal parts sweet and tart, and will make any romantic night in way more fun. (via Brit + Co)

Channeling Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City is a major power move to make for V-Day, so of course, you gotta go with her signature cocktail – which also happens to be pink! (via Brit + Co)

Sip on some frozen goodness with this pink marg recipe! The berries technically make it healthy, right? (via Half Baked Harvest)

This pink batch cocktail recipe makes a sizable amount that you can share with all of your girls for Galentine's. (via Amanda Wilens)

The light citrus notes of grapefruit are perfectly complemented by bouts of chunky salt in this delicate pink cocktail that makes a play on the classic Paloma. (via Barley & Sage)

Peach, orange, and cranberry join forces to form a super fruity flavor in this sipper. (via Veggie Society)

You can always count on watermelon to leave you refreshed! Prep this spiked pink drink to cool down when you need it most! (via A Spicy Perspective)

This sip is as simple as shaking three ingredients together and enjoying it with your lover for Valentine's Day. (via Culinary Hill)

This delicate pink cocktail highlights the sweet floral notes from Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin. To make it, shake 2 oz of the gin, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.75 oz simple syrup, and 1 oz egg white over ice. Shake it again without ice. Then, strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with rose petals for a touch of pure romance! (via Empress Gin)

Strawberry and mint additions make this pink cocktail ultra-light! (via Cozy Cravings)

Raspberries turn your regular mojito into a totallyBarbiecore sipper. (via Amanda Wilens)

The combo of fruit and herbs that this cocktail highlights make it the most elevated pink cocktail for the holiday. Serve it some cool glassware for added enjoyment! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Bloomtown Gimlet

Take happy swigs of OJ and grapefruit juice in this healthy margarita! (via Rachel Mansfield)

The French 75 is just about as classy of a cocktail as they come. Traditionally made with lemon, champagne and gin, this one gets an unexpectedly sweet flavor (and hot pink color!) from juicy blood oranges. (via Cookie and Kate)

Anything from Lauren Conrad is *obviously* going to be an elegant show-stopping winner. Plus, a pink drink doesn’t get much simpler than pouring champagne over cotton candy — no cocktail shaker needed. (via Lauren Conrad)

With this pink cocktail, you can pretend like you’re on a island getaway. Add a beachy rom-com to your Netflix queue and chill without a care in the world! (via Supergolden Bakes)

This pink cocktail is for the lovers who wanna get lit this Valentine's. To make it, shake 1.5 oz Patrón Silver, 0.75 oz Patrón Citrónge, 0.75 oz cranberry juice, 0.5 oz lime juice, and 0.25 oz simple syrup over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass! Garnish with an orange twist for a classy finish. (via Patrón Tequila)

Pink lemonade just screams summertime – but you can sip it anytime! In this case, it gets spiked and garnished to power up the lively vibes. (via No Spoon Necessary)

If you’re a fan of mojitos, you’re definitely going to dig this pink cocktail. The fresh basil is such a refreshing flavor alongside the tart rhubarb. Don’t stress if you can’t find fresh rhubarb right now — frozen works just fine! (via Kitchn)

This pink cocktail uses homemade strawberry vodka to infuse the deliciously fresh flavor into every sip. (via Healthy Seasonal Recipes)

The elegant herbal touch of thyme in this pink cocktail is a perfect complement to the grapefruit. (via Freut Cake)

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.