Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We spent most of last week driving to Arizona and back for our annual family camping trip in the White Mountains. It’s a heck of a drive now that we live in Ohio, but we love the family time. After 56+ hours sitting in the car for the drive, I’ve been on my feet and moving as much as I can this week.
And speaking of being on my feet, there are some great new recipes on the way to all the sites. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love this job?!)
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Juicy fresh peaches are matched up with spicy jalapenos, fragrant red onions, fresh cilantro, and zesty lime in this utterly irresistible peach salsa. I guarantee you can’t stop at one bite of this beautiful dip!
California spaghetti salad is a guaranteed hit for the summer vegetable lover in your life! This amped up pasta salad is exploding with peak-freshness produce and an irresistible Parmesan dressing.
Coleslaw gets an exciting upgrade in this pineapple coleslaw. Crunchy cabbage and sliced almonds are paired with sweet and fragrant pineapple tidbits, super fresh green onions and cilantro in a tangy but light and creamy dressing.
This peach cobbler is made as easy as can be with canned peaches and it is exactly what I remember my grandmother making when I was little. The topping is a little bit cakey, and buttery sweet, and the peaches fall through as it bakes and create juicy pockets of fruit in each bite.
Almond glazed, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are the perfect afternoon treat with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Keep a stash of these on hand for a sweet accompaniment to a cuppa whatever you love best.
Full of tender apples, beautifully citrusy rhubarb, and crowned with a classic brown sugar oat crisp topping, this apple rhubarb crisp blends seasons together in sweet tart harmony. It’s different and it’s delightful.
Deep, dark, and indulgent, chocolate chocolate chip ice cream is unapologetically extra chocolatey. Not one, not two, but three kinds of chocolate make their way into this rich and creamy chocolate lover’s dream of an ice cream.
What I’m CRAVING: The biggest, greenest, crunchiest salads possible! After a lot of travel, with more on the horizon, I’ve happily made and eaten as many salads as possible. I have this one on my radar to make soon! (Crispy white beans?? I’d never even heard of that before and now I can’t wait to try them.)
What I’m READING: Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. (This is the first book in his space trilogy.) I am so glad I finally picked this one up to read again! I tried reading it years ago and couldn’t get into the first book, but this time, I could hardly put it down. The book builds slowly, it isn’t a non-stop thrill ride. However, this is an excellent read nonetheless.
I’ve challenged myself to read more classics and non-fiction and this one was an excellent way to begin. I’ve already added the second and third books of the trilogy to my Kindle. (This is despite the fact I have owned hard copies of this trilogy for years and still never read them! I simply read more books when they are on my Kindle.)
What I’m LISTENING to: The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes. This audiobook was recommended to me and it was an amusing distraction. It’s a light read about a vampire who is not the typical vampire. It’s an entirely different twist on the horror genre and I didn’t find it even a bit frightening.
The writing is in the first person and works well for the near-monotone voice of the main character. The narrator did a fantastic job with the different characters, and it balanced out nicely. Overall, this may not have been the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to, but it was fun – and free from my library, which is always a plus. I’m checking out the next book in the series now.
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 NASB
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
Trending Products
