Hello Foodie Friend!
I’m back! I appreciate those of you who reached out to me when you didn’t receive a Fresh Fridays post in your inbox last Friday. More about that in the In Real Life section below!
I am very slowly getting back into a rhythm, but if I’m honest, I have enjoyed not putting so much pressure on myself each week and finding joy in getting together with friends, making and having dinner with my family, and hanging out on the couch in the evening. I’ve even been sleeping better!
This week I am highlighting a few of our families’ favorite easy weeknight dinners. With life so busy these past few weeks I needed some quick turnkey recipes without much planning and prep! Plus, In Real Life, What I’m Reading, Fresh Finds, and a little Encouragement for the Soul!
Use the Table of Contents below to skip to what interests you most.
Our Favorite Easy Weeknight Meals
With temperatures hitting the high 90s to 100°+, I lack real creativity when it comes to meal planning! So, this week, I went through my archives and pulled out our favorite easy grilling recipes and one-pan meals.
This took all of the pressure off! As long as I took something out of the freezer, I’ve been getting a decent dinner on the table all week long.
- NEW TO YOU! Coconut Lime Chicken has been on the blog since the beginning, but it got a much-needed refresh! It’s a healthy and EASY chicken marinade; freezer-friendly, low-carb, Whole30-approved, and even gluten-free and dairy-free! I hope you try it out!
- I served it with Cilantro Lime Rice and a crisp Romaine wedge salad.
- Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches is another easy dinner. Using shaved steak (I love Trader Joe’s shaved steak), this succulent dinner is ready in about 20 minutes! If preferred, make them on your Blackstone! And if you don’t like steak, try the Chicken Philly Cheesesteaks!
- I served it with my air fryer steak fries and diced tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Nom-nom!
- With zucchini starting to come in strong, I made this Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef! An easy and tasty one-skillet meal!
- This is a stand-alone meal, though, for my men, I served it with some warm bread.
- Let the crockpot do the work for you! This Crockpot Chicken and Pasta is as easy as 1-2-3! It’s an Olive Garden copycat.
- I served it with a bagged salad! Yes, I use those just like you! This is one of my favorites. I added some fresh avocado and tomatoes.
- This Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin is so easy and incredibly tender! Grill it to perfect juicy perfection!
- I served it with steamed rice and artichokes. I have tried every way to cook artichokes, but my favorite is how I grew up making them. Place a steamer basket in a deep pot, fill with a couple of inches of water, bring to a simmer, place the artichoke upside down with the top and bottom trimmed, and cover, and steam for about 40-45 minutes on the stovetop. They are ready when you can easily pull one of the leaves out. I serve it with melted salted Kerrygold butter. Our youngest likes a squeeze of fresh lemon in his butter. Drooling!!
- We love these easy Chicken Fajitas — I’m pretty sure you will too!
- I served them with fresh blender salsa, my quick guac, and chips.
- I had some leftover watermelon that I froze and made these watermelon slushies – REFRESHING!
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In Real Life
Obviously, life has been busy — great busy!! I know yours is too!
Last week started with a trip to the mountains with my son and his girlfriend. We had such a great time and enjoyed not having internet for a few days!
We enjoyed a day in Leadville (Trivia: Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the US! At 10,158 ft.) and toured the National Hall of Fame and Mining Museum (fascinating to learn about Molybdenum – say that 3 x fast!).
We hiked (starting at 10,500 feet!) to Lost Lake off Cottonwood Pass outside of Buena Vista, and we ate some great food! But most importantly, I got to watch, listen, and hear from my son and get to know his beautiful girlfriend even better. Mom blissfulness!
Thursday was the 4th of July, and if you have been around TFC for a while, you know that our neighborhood does it up BIG! The day kicks off with the National Anthem at our pool. Then there is a fun run, sparkler bike rice for the kiddos, and a parade complete with floats. We finish it off with a neighborhood-hosted BBQ and pool games!
On Saturday we hosted my mom and bonus dad for an early birthday dinner, and since it was so hot, I decided to just put together a sub sandwich board.
On a large platter, I laid out cold cuts: salami, ham, turkey, and chicken; provolone, cheddar, and Havarti cheese. Sliced fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles and put out a tray of condiments and an assortment of bread and rolls.
Served with a variety of chips, I love these Sweet Potato Chips (you can get a ginormous bag from Costco!) I cut up some watermelon and called it a meal! I made some Passion Iced Tea (always a hit!) And made my famous ice cream cake for dessert! It was a hit!
What I’m Reading
I finished Finding Dorothy, and I’m giving it ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. It is a fascinating historical novel about how the writing of The Wizard of Oz came about. It’s told from the perspective of L. Frank Baum’s wife, Maud. The story bounces back and forth between her consulting on the set of The Wizard of Oz (when she is in her 80s) and her life with Frank in the early 1900s. The story was birthed out of their own struggles, I think you will like it too!
I am about halfway through Beth Moore’s Memoir, “All My Knotted Up Life” — it’s not what I expected with some very hard realities that have made her into the godly woman she is today. I think I can easily say I’d recommend it: talk about being an overcomer!
What Readers are Saying About…Moose Tracks
“Oh my goodness! This was the easiest, most delicious ice cream! My family gobbled it up so fast that I never had time to take a picture. This is my new favorite ice cream.” ~ Penney
Fresh Finds: Amazon Deals + More
My favorite finds of the week – check out previous weeks HERE!
I’ve been scouring the early Prime Days deals this week and saving them, so be sure to browse my weekly finds here!
- A foodie friend of mine ordered these gold measuring spoons and loves them!
- I also recommended my favorite spatulas to her. Tovolo spatulas are my favorite! I have the wood-handled ones (27% off); the head comes off, so you can pop it in the dishwasher.
- I am all about fun travel cups! A tumbler for the baseball lover, complete with BLING! Or this gorgeous Corkcicle Rifle Paper Tumbler (20% off), this smaller one (50% off) and this Sunflower Tumbler at 50% off.
- And don’t even get me started with pretty glasses, I’m obsessed with glassware!! Love -> 20 oz glasses with lids and straws (27% off – great for iced tea, iced coffee, smoothies, water). And these vintage ice cream bowls.
- Oodles of great back-to-college deals; like this Apple charging station (35% off + $4 off coupon – my son loves his), this XXXL rope basket (46% off), our oldest loves this Instant Pot (42% off).
- My favorite countertop oven is $100 off!!
- An ice cream maker for National Ice Cream Month!
Amazon Prime Days – July 16-17
- I always find a few great deals during Amazon Prime days, do you have a Prime membership?
- Like this Ninja Air Fryer Pro with extra large basket! It’s 25% off!
Summer Finds for Her
- Loving any dress with pockets!! And this ONE!!! << though might be too short for me. Dress it up with these darling slides or down with these Vionic Sneakers. It’s a knockoff of this Tuckernuck dress.
- And how darling is this RIC-Rack sundress?! Pair it with this fun straw crossbody bag and these darling sandals.
- Nordstrom is having their half-yearly anniversary sale (July 15-Aug 4)
- I always stock up on my favorite bras (sorry guys).
- I have several girlfriends who rave about Hanky Panky Panties, so I’m going to give them a try this year. I’m thrilled that they have French Briefs vs. a Thong, I can’t even go there! LOL! I’m trying these cotton briefs too!
- Are you an UGG lover? Many are on sale, like these slippers!
- This Cotton Everyday V-neck Cardi (I promise I won’t wear with a crop top!)
- I adore Vionic sneakers and I can’t decide between the light blue and the white!
All of this AND MORE in my weekly finds — be sure to check it out!
Fresh Inspiration: Love Like Him
I so appreciated this devotional on this often-quoted portion of the Bible. It’s taken from the Daily Refresh on the Bible App, where they take a verse and have a short video teaching along with going a little deeper.
“From friendships to family, relationships can be tough to navigate sometimes. But if there’s one thing that can set your relationships apart, it’s understanding real love.
In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, Greece, he explains that even if you have all the faith, all the knowledge, or all the generosity in the world, or if you can speak in tongues, or if you have the gift of prophecy—none of it means anything without love. He continues:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
Chances are, you want to be a patient person. You intend to be a kind human. You desire to be a content and humble individual. But, sometimes you get in a hurry. Sometimes you get annoyed. Sometimes you can be rude, selfish, jealous, unthoughtful, or arrogant.
Sometimes, it’s hard being human. But God knows that and He wants to help you.
In the same letter, Paul goes on to say that love keeps no record of wrongs and rejoices in the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Most notably, love never fails.
But why does love seem to fail at times? After all, divorce rates are high, estranged families are commonplace, and the brokenness of this world is evident on just about every news broadcast or social media feed.
And that’s exactly why Jesus came! He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of the world. And that’s what real love looks like—to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). He is love, and His love never fails.
So, now that redemption has begun to break through—first, through Jesus and, now, through His Spirit inside of us—we can love others well by looking to Him, leaning on Him, trusting in Him, listening to Him, and following His lead.
God has given you everything you need to love others like He loves you. What step will you take today to show someone else this love?“
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand it’s own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no recrod of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never givest up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
Whew, that was a lot, thank you so much for hanging out with me today! Remember I read and respond to all of my emails!! Please come back and rate and comment on a post if you try it.
Coming soon…Texas Roadhouse Honey Butter, Cilantro Lime Rice, Strawberry Gelato
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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