The Little Things Newsletter #434 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Boy, did it ever get hot again here in Ohio. I’m ready for rain – and a whole lot of it. In the meantime, I’m pretending that fall has already arrived. I’m cleaning my closet this weekend and setting out sweaters and jeans with hope of wearing them soon.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Ground beef stroganoff puts a new spin on the classic dish. Easy and fast enough for any weeknight, this stroganoff tastes every bit as good as the original–maybe even better! This recipe has all the ingredients that we love from classic beef stroganoff combined for a quick and easy weeknight-friendly meal.

A picky eater approved spinach and banana smoothie is a delicious and easy way to pack more vegetables into your daily diet. These tasty smoothies deliver mega nutrition with minimal effort.

These honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs earned thumbs up around the table from my boys – and they’re already on our meal plan again.

Sliced, smashed, drizzled with butter, sprinkled with herbs and spices, and then topped with Parmesan, these smashed sweet potatoes are perfection.

Tender and moist, richly flavored with vanilla and cream cheese, this old-fashioned pound cake recipe is about to become a favorite in your kitchen!

Whoever said you can have too much of a good thing clearly never had a bite of these cheesecake cookie bars. Gooey caramel and buttery toffee stud the ultimate cookie bar with a perfect layer of creamy cold cheesecake in the center.

Creamy, rich vanilla ice cream is swirled with handfuls of colorful sweet sprinkles to make this homemade sprinkles ice cream. Each bowl is colorful, sweet, and fun to eat!

What I’m READING: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep by Matthew Walker. This book is detailed and scientific throughout and it turned out to be a fascinating read on the importance of sleep.

Takeaway quote from this book: “I was once fond of saying, ‘Sleep is the third pillar of good health, alongside diet and exercise.’ I have changed my tune. Sleep is more than a pillar; it is the foundation on which the other two health bastions sit. Take away the bedrock of sleep, or weaken it just a little, and careful eating or physical exercise become less than effective, as we shall see.”

What I’m LISTENING to: Hymns That Are Important To Us by Joey & Rory. The first song on this album is, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” and I’ve started my day with it every morning this week. It’s beautiful. (Full disclosure, I don’t love this whole album, but that first song? It’s a favorite on my current morning playlist.)

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 ESV

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

Mary