The Little Things Newsletter #479 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s been a peachy keen week over here, and I’m admittedly happy to be almost done with the peaches. (Okay, technically, I’m a little over half done, but since the rest of the fruit is destined for this jam and this jam, it doesn’t feel quite so overwhelming now.)

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:  Inspired by the cottage cheese ranch dip that I shared a few weeks ago, this cottage cheese taco dip is creamy, loaded with spicy southwest flavor, and reminiscent of the old-school layered taco dip we all know and enjoy.

Every bite of this garlicky shrimp zucchini stir fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes!

This fun twist on cucumber corn salad features a creamy dressing with a touch of spicy sweetness, reminiscent of the bold, crave-worthy flavors of Mexican street corn.

Savory ground beef mingles with tender carrots and peas beneath a cheesy layer of mashed potatoes in this Irish cottage pie.

This ranch potato salad never fails to make people grin and ask for the recipe. If you, or anyone you know, just really love anything ranch-flavored, this one is especially for you.

Crisp-edged, crunchy cookies with an intense but perfectly balanced vanilla flavor make up these homemade vanilla cookies. These bite-size cookies go way beyond putting traditional ‘Nilla wafers to shame, they’re a whole new ballgame.

Creamy sweet and tart lemon ice cream is swirled with beautiful blueberry sauce in this refreshing lemon blueberry ice cream. Made with fresh or frozen blueberries, you can enjoy this sunshiney taste of summer year-round.

What I’m CRAVING: Truth? Something not made with peaches. As much as I love my favorite summer fruit, I’ve been eating peaches nonstop all week long. So, I’ll take some salmon or steak, asparagus, and potatoes now, please. 

My FAVORITE THING this week is my hand cream. Despite the crazy humidity this summer, my hands have been super dry lately. And this hand cream is my saving grace. I’ve probably mentioned it at least 5 times here, but it remains one of my favorite things for a reason. And for what it’s worth, I now buy it in the 26-ounce size.

What I’m LISTENING to: Heaven On My Mind by TobyMac. This album is fun from start to finish. As much as I enjoy the title track, I think I like “A Lil Church” best of all. 

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 ESV

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

Mary