Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s been a chilly week here in Ohio and I’m very much looking forward to some sunshine this weekend. If you’re in the Columbus area, today is the Granville Barn Hop. It only happens twice a year and it’s a lot of fun to wander through the barns and shops – even if you aren’t buying a thing. And when you do make it out to Granville, you’ll want to check out Cedar & Thread, Green Velvet, and Kussmaul Gallery too!
Last but not least, when you start getting hungry, Snapshots, The Pub on Broadway, Three Tigers, Alfie’s, RayRay’s, and Elm’s Pizza are terrific lunch options. River Road Coffeehouse, Village Coffee, the Pretzel Shop (oh my gosh, the pretzels are so good – I can’t resist stopping any time the light is on!) and Whit’s Frozen Custard are excellent snack choices too. Can you tell I love my little village?
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Sticky Asian Meatballs are sweet and a little bit spicy. I typically serve these meatballs over rice, with some steamed or roasted vegetables on the side. However, they work great as a party appetizer too.
Rice Pilaf makes an ideal side dish for any main course! This simple recipe lets the flavors of garlic and onion shine along with the tender rice and buttery orzo pasta. Learn how to make rice pilaf and you’ll have the perfect side dish at your fingertips for just about any meal!
Meet your new favorite way to cook green beans! Crispy oven roasted green beans have an irresistible taste matched only by their amazing color.
Crispy baked potatoes are filled with hearty meat and vegetables and topped with creamy mashed potatoes in these Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes.
And after tasting these parmesan-roasted carrots you will not want to cook carrots any other way. Bite-sized and toasty perfect, you can’t eat just one!
Mock Apple Pie began as a thrifty way to make a sweet treat from pantry staples in the late 1800s, but became popular during the privations of the 1930s. It stayed popular, though, because of its homey, comforting deliciousness. The look on my husband’s face was priceless when I told him there was no fruit in the pie – after he’d given it two thumbs up. The flavor is reminiscent of a combination of pecan pie and apple pie and the whole family agrees it is delicious.
Sweet vanilla ice cream filled with chunks of golden Oreos is a smile-inducing bowl of cookies and cream ice cream, if you ask me – or any of my boys. And I’ll admit now that I’ve made this ice cream twice and I’ve only shared a few scoops with my family. This ice cream proved irresistible and I found myself going back through the day for just one more taste.
What I’m CRAVING: I’ve been craving my Grandma’s Monster Cookies for a while now and I finally made a double batch this week. Fortunately, most of them were destined to be sent off with Sean to share with friends this weekend, because I’ve already eaten far too many!
My FAVORITE THING this week is this Nighty Night tea. A friend recommended I try this tea and I’m glad I did! I’ve never been a fan of traditional sleepytime tea, but there are a few bedtime teas I enjoy. However, this tea trumps them all. I love the hint of mint and the tea is delicious. It has rapidly become a relaxing part of my nighttime routine.
What I’m READING / LISTENING to: I just finished the Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series. The narration is amusing and the audio versions are a fresh take on books that I’ve already read more than a time or two. Each audiobook is only 5-7 hours long, so it hasn’t taken long at all to work my way back through the series. I started reading Evanovich about 25 years ago and there are now 30 books in the series. They are true laugh-out-loud-while-you’re-reading amusement most of the time.
What I’m LISTENING to: Man on the Rocks by Mike Oldfield. My son introduced me to the song Nuclear and I really enjoyed it, which led me to the album. I’ve listened to the album several times already and it’s my current daily favorite.
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 ESV
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
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