Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m ready for as much time outdoors as possible, fun foods shared with family, and all the games and storytelling we can fit into our days. Half of July has flown by in a blur and it feels like the end of summer is right around the corner. I want to soak up as much relaxed time as possible over the next month, despite having so much travel on the calendar. We can manage both, right?
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: This simple yet irresistible recipe has already become my favorite snack this summer – watermelon fruit salad features a refreshing, colorful mix of watermelon, cherries, and berries tossed with a handful of fresh mint in a sweet, tangy honey lime dressing.
Chicken scallopini is a flavor-packed dish that requires minimal effort for an easy weeknight dinner. Baked with garlic and mushrooms in a white wine sauce, the chicken comes out of the oven fork-tender.
Simple seasoned asparagus is one of our favorite ways to eat asparagus and the flavors turn out great every time.
Crunchy greens are tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette before being topped with roasted almonds to make this copycat recipe for Chick-fil-A’s Kale Crunch Salad.
When vegetables are so tasty you eat them right out of the pan, you know you have a winning dish! My youngest son and I stood at the counter eating at least half of the vegetables right out of the pan the last time I sauteed zucchini and mushrooms.
There aren’t many things that top a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, but this strawberry lemonade is one of them. And if you’re like me and prefer your drinks a bit less sweet, homemade is the way to go.
Imagine the sweet flavor of ripe mangoes blended into a creamy, dreamy scoop of ice cream – mango ice cream is a refreshing summer treat.
What I’m CRAVING: GORP – “good old raisins and peanuts,” plus some extras for fun. As we’ve been getting ready for our annual family reunion camping trip in Arizona, I’ve been craving our favorite camp foods and snacks.
And speaking of our favorites, if you haven’t yet tried Green Apple S’mores, put them on your must-try list. Campfire hand pies are another kid favorite, and these Peach Campfire Pies look great right now.
My FAVORITE THING this week is this super lightweight scarf. I’ve shared it before, but it bears repeating this week. While I rarely actually wear a scarf, this one travels with me nearly everywhere I go. It’s a travel blanket on road trips, it’s a shawl if a movie theater is cold, and it does double duty as a pillow or a blanket on chilly flights. It folds or rolls to an almost unbelievably small size, making it perfect for tucking into a carry-on.
What I’m READING: The Great Library Series by Rachel Caine. I finished the series over the past couple of weeks, reading books 3, 4, and 5: Ash and Quill, Smoke and Iron, and Sword and Pen. I figured I’d share them all now instead of dragging my review on for weeks. This series is a solid YA read and I really enjoyed it. While the story did drag a bit at times, and I didn’t love every character, the ending was superb.
The first and the last books in this series were my favorites, but do yourself a favor, start at the beginning, and read them all. If you love books and libraries, and reading for the sake of reading, this storyline is an unforgettable one.
What I’m LISTENING to: Pontiac by Lyle Lovett. I’ve been a fan of Lyle Lovett’s for a long time and I’m thrilled that my youngest son counts him as a favorite now. We’ve been playing this album on repeat all week when driving and it makes me laugh and grin to hear him singing along with all of these songs.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” Psalm 91:14-15 ESV
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
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