Welcome to the weekend, my friends! This week absolutely flew by with school starting, plenty of projects around the house and office, and a whole lot of delicious food in the works too. The mornings are starting to cool off just a tiny bit, though the humidity is still crazy due to all the nonstop rain we’ve had this summer.
It was windy last night while we were eating dinner and I saw a few leaves falling from the tree outside the dining room windows. It’s weird to think that we are so close to fall already when the days are still so warm.
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Rich, creamy Kielbasa Pasta has been one of the highlights at our dinner table lately. With hearty sausage, fresh broccoli, a flavorful cream sauce, and sharp, crumbly cheese on top, you’ve got a weeknight meal with something for everyone.
I love to fill out our pasta dishes with plenty of vegetables, so there is almost as much broccoli on display here as there is pasta. Add some Baby spinach and bites of chicken are combined in a creamy green chile sauce for these easy-to-make Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas. Just a couple of handfuls of baby spinach added to this recipe, contributes a freshness that can’t be beaten.
Crisp tortillas and melting cheese collide with spicy elote corn dip in this hearty, flavorful Corn Quesadilla. And the best part? From start to finish, these come together in just 10 minutes. Given our love of elote and of quesadillas, it was only a matter of time until I tried combining the two.
Southern Fried Cabbage with crispy bacon and tender-crisp cabbage is a classic not to sleep on. Let’s face it, bacon plays best friend to pretty much every vegetable at one time or another, right?.
If you haven’t tried Baked Oatmeal yet, you are missing out. Mildly sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon, this leaves the average bowl of oatmeal in the dust. When I say this is one of our family’s most frequently made breakfasts, there’s no exaggeration.
Brown sugar + bacon = the best bacon you may ever eat. Yes, I said that. And I stand by it. This Brown Sugar Bacon is a guaranteed way to ensure breakfast happiness. There’s something almost magical in the way a bit of melted butter and brown sugar caramelizes around each salty strip of bacon.
Fluffy Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes layered with sweet strawberry compote, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream are a breakfast dream come true.
What I’m CRAVING: I stumbled on this recipe for Churros made in the air fryer and now I can’t get them out of my head! It’s my friend Samantha’s recipe, so I trust it to work too. Looks like I may need to try them this weekend.
My FAVORITE THING this week is this lap tray I bought for when I want to use my laptop while hanging out on the couch. I like not having it directly on my lap, but most of the raised stands I’ve seen are way too high to be comfortable. This one elevates it just enough to be off my lap (it has adjustable legs) and still allows me to move my legs, but it’s not so high as to put my shoulders or arms in an awkward position. It’s been fantastically comfortable and it doesn’t look bad either. I’m really happy with it!
What I’m READING: I finally read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I have been on the library’s hold list for this one for over a year, and the wait was most definitely worth it. My youngest son has been very impatiently waiting for me to read the book so that I can watch the movie with him. (I have a thing about reading the book before watching the movie whenever possible.) He saw it with friends earlier this year and loved it.
This book is a high recommendation from me if you like science fiction, or maybe even if you don’t. I read this one fast because I had a hard time putting it down. I normally have several books going at a time, but this was the only book I read this week and I read it in just a few nights.
What I’m LISTENING to: Psalms by Sandra McCracken. This one is a regular on my playlist and it’s never far from the top. It’s pure peace from start to finish when the world feels like it’s spinning too fast, just listening to her singing these verses slows things down.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:1-2 ESV
Wishing you a beautiful week filled with little things that make you smile!
Mary