Happy Friday Friend!
Phew! Some weeks nothing happens like you planned! Do you ever have weeks like that? I know you do — I see your hand raised! I’ll tell you more about it in my A Week in My Life section.
This week I updated on an older post that is a FANTABULOUS condiment, posted Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls! We’ve got our 3 top reader recipes, a fun fact, A Week in my Life + Mother’s Day gift ideas, Spring patio refresh, and always encouragement for the soul. Let’s get started, shall we?
Use the Table of Contents below to discover what interests you most.
Reader Favorites: Better-than-Take Out + more
I love discovering what people are making and baking! Here are our top 3 saved recipes from last week!
#1 Healthier Mongolian Beef
Made with shaved beef, this Mongolian Beef is not only super quick but oh so flavorful, too! It’s way better than takeout and cheaper, too!
#2 Honey Bran Muffins
These are always a reader favorite, a Mimi’s Copycat Honey Bran muffin. This recipe will change your mind about bran!
# 3 Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
What’s not to love about the chewiest, easiest chocolate chip cookie ever! Find out the secret to these copycat Crumbl cookies!
What’s New? Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls + More
#1 Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
I have wanted to get this recipe on the blog for a while; now that we’re empty nesters, I occasionally like to bake up a small batch of my gooey cinnamon rolls. I’ve adapted my feed-a-crowd recipe to make six cinnamon rolls, cream cheese icing and all! You gotta try them!
#2 Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions
These Panera-inspired refrigerator pickled red onions are so delicious on salads (try on my Panera Green Goddess Chicken Salad), sandwiches, pizzas, and so much more! Just a few ingredients, then tuck them in your fridge and put them on everything! Okay, maybe not on cookies or ice cream.
Subscriber Library
All of my printables are FREE to you; as a subscriber, you have access to my Subscriber Library. I hope you go in and find a few things you can use! Password: Thankyou
A week in my life…
I have focused on migrating my email to a new provider and I am so excited to say that I have finally gotten it all done! Phew, that took longer than I thought. It should be pretty seamless for you, but please let me know if you have any issues.
I also had dinner with this beautiful group of women (photo below); I have known most since our babies were, well, babies! Years ago, we hired a Pilates instructor to come to our homes and teach us Pilates once a week; we loved that time together!
But then our instructor moved away 🙁 , so instead of Pilates, we started getting together to celebrate one another’s birthdays. This was way better than Pilates, don’t you think? 😉
I cherish the women in my life. We need to be in a community, and I am grateful for every ounce of investment these women have made in my life. We’ve been through hard, joyful, celebration, and difficult times together—and it just keeps getting better!
Fun Fact About Me: Sprechen sie Deutsch?
In my early 20s, I spent six months as an au pair in West Berlin (the wall came down 2 years later). It was an incredible experience! I lived with a family with 3 children under 5. The mom didn’t work, I think I was hired more to keep her company.
She and I got along great. The husband and I — not so much, he didn’t like Americans (um, then why’d you choose me?) — BUT I have to tell you that experience, as wonderful, exciting, and hard as it was, made me into the woman I am today. I am much more confident and less intimidated by others, and most importantly it really strengthened my faith!
I learned German (at the time, the program was about caring for the kids, and in exchange, they sent me to language school — I think au pairs are a bit different today) and was fluent by the time I came home — even dreaming in German!
I met some amazing people while I was there, many of whom I am still friends with today!
What Readers Are Saying about…
Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
This is a delicious, dense, easy-to-make Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake. It looks super plain, but honestly, it has amazing texture and flavor!
Excellent flavor and texture. Easy.
Nancy
I’ve added it to my favorites.
What Caught My Eye | Sales and Deals
We’re back with my favorite finds of the week – check them out plus previous weeks HERE!
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, Spring Refresh + Fave Kitchen Tools
- How darling is this casual shirt dress (with pockets, my fave). And these cute sandals to go with it!
- J Jill is having a 30% SALE off full-price dresses and sweaters and 40% off clearance!
- I bought this cute tiered maxi dress and this gingham midi sundress with this linen blend sweater for my son’s graduation.
- Loving this comfy, stretch hoodie dress (with pockets) and I really like this Coastal Treasures Layered Necklace.
Spring Refresh
- I was browsing other creators this week and fell in love with this faux cement planter and olive tree!
- I am trying to use more live plants in our house, they make me happy! I love this wicker planter! And this outdoor Pottery Barn Dup Resin planter (out of stock, but they should be getting more in soon!)
- We need some new outdoor furniture, this sure is a cute bistro set.
- Do you suppose these solar-powered path lights really work? LOVE THEM!
- I love these Wicker Egg Chairs, this one with legs instead of hung.
I put a whole lot more in my weekly finds — be sure to check it out!
Fresh Inspiration: Peace Beyond Anxiety
I pray you and your loved ones do not suffer from anxiety, but the longer I live, the more I discover just how many live with this every day! I hope this encourages you.
“Anxiety is an increasingly common experience in our world. Around the world there are rumors of war, or threats to safety and security. We experience high levels of conflict and change across cultures, and in our personal lives. We wonder about our safety, the security of our children, and what the future might look like.
And if we’re not careful, our thoughts can easily lead us into anxiety. We can be swept into the spiral of over-thinking and worry.
God tells us something different. He tells us to submit everything to Him in prayer. To submit something to God in prayer is to recognize that He is the creator and director of history, and He alone has the power to protect us and direct our lives.
If we’re careful to guard our thoughts and submit them to God, God says that He will give us His peace. The peace of God surpasses all of our understanding because it transcends our anxious and changing world.
Having God’s peace doesn’t mean that we won’t have times where we feel anxious. But even in the most anxious of times, we can rest in the assurance that God is with us, and He is more powerful than our anxiety. When we offer God our thoughts and circumstances, we allow Him to step in. We allow Him to transform the ways we think and act. We allow His peace to come and guard our hearts and minds.
The truth is, we don’t have the power to change our thoughts or circumstances—only God does. When we try to take control, we often worsen the spiral of anxiety and worry. But we don’t have to stay in that place. We can bring our concerns to God, and allow Him to give us His peace in return. Over time, we will discover that His peace has empowered us to think and act differently.” From the YouVersion Bible App
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
Philippians 4:7
Thank you for joining me today! Please remember to come back and rate and comment on a post if you try it! Have a beautiful weekend!
Coming soon…Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding, Philly Cheesesteak Dip, and Korean Meatballs.
P.S. If you missed last week’s Fresh Fridays, recipes, sales, tips, ideas, and more!
Check out my favorite things and more HERE! Plus, previous week’s finds!
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