The Little Things Newsletter #461 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! My youngest son and I spent the past few days in Arizona and New Mexico visiting family and it was a great time for all of us. As much as we love Ohio, it’s a lot of fun to be back in the Southwest for these visits. (Especially before the sun reaches earth-boiling temperatures each summer.)

IN THE KITCHEN THIS WEEK: With traveling this past week and heading home today, I’ve planned some very simple meals to get us through the rest of spring break and into the last of the school year. BBQ chicken stuffed potatoes are always a hit with everyone and they’re literally the easiest meal you can make. 

All the ingredients we love in classic Chinese Egg Rolls come together in this egg roll stir fry recipe. This is an irresistible bowl of deconstructed egg rolls and you’re going to love it.

Tender peas, sweet carrots, and savory bits of celery and onions in a creamy, rich beef gravy baked inside a buttery crust make for a fantastic (and EASY) ground beef pot pie.

Some foods are so basic, so incredibly simple, that it can be difficult to describe their awesomeness. That’s how I feel about cottage cheese with fruit. Two ingredients. Just TWO. I’ll be making these bowls with strawberries all week long. 

With an abundance of sweet ripe berries, fresh green spinach, chewy pasta, and a bright and flavorful light balsamic dressing, this strawberry spinach salad is an unexpected and delicious pasta salad that is certain to become one of your family’s new favorites.

California spaghetti salad is a guaranteed hit for the vegetable lovers in your life! This amped up pasta salad is exploding with fresh vegetables and an irresistible Parmesan dressing.

And with all the berries coming into season, Strawberries Romanoff definitely needs to be on the meal plan. The last berries I bought were so flavorful, I immediately knew this dessert needed to happen asap.

My FAVORITE THING this week is my hand cream. Each time I visit family back in AZ and NM, my skin dries out like mad. Fortunately, this is never far from hand, (ha, pun unintended) I love it so much. 

What I’m LISTENING to: Psalms by Sandra McCracken. This album has a unique sound, reminiscent of Americana and folk. I love her variations on some of the traditional songs she’s included. We initially discovered her song My Help, My God and within a few minutes I was downloading the full album. It’s beautiful from start to finish.

What I’m READING: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson. This book takes an approach to prayer that I haven’t studied before. Carson analyzes Paul’s prayers in depth, as an example to to the Christian church, diving into each word and phrase used. It has already changed the way that I pray for my family and friends, as well as for our church. My oldest son introduced me to Carson through this study and I’ve already picked up several more of his books.

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary