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Fresh Fridays
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It’s March 1 on Fresh Fridays

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Feb 29, 2024

Fresh Fridays Logo new 2022.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Happy Friday — Happy March 1st!!! Wow, do you realize it will officially be spring on March 19th and Easter is 30 days from now!?

Did you do anything crazy for leap day? I cleared out about 1,000 emails (I may be exaggerating) that started with “Take a Leap…” So yeah, I’m not doing that to you! LOL!

Thanks for your patience last week with my link snafu; it was all my fault; my site was being migrated to a new hosting platform, and it didn’t dawn on me that a scheduled post wouldn’t go through. If you want to go back and browse last week’s Fresh Fridays post, it’s here.

As the cold lingers, signs of Spring emerge. Bulbs poke through frozen ground (always amazes me), birds sing, and nature prepares to bloom. Winter’s slowness is cozy with longer nights and all the soups and slow-cooked meals, yet I’m eager for Spring’s vibrancy, freshness, and bursts of color!

I’ve got three new recipes, favorite finds, deals, and a glimpse into my life. Let’s dive in!

Use the Table of Contents below to discover what interests you most.

  • What's New? Three mouthwatering recipes
  • A few of my favorite strawberry recipes
  • A week in my life…
  • Fun Fact About Me
  • What Readers Are Saying about…
  • I want your Feedback!
  • What Caught My Eye | Sales and Deals
  • Browse my Amazon Storefront
  • Weekly Inspiration | Better Together

What’s New? Three mouthwatering recipes

#1 Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

A must-try is this easy Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Breast recipe! Tender, crispy, juicy! With a quick homemade sauce, or use your fave store-bought brand.

Air Fryers are not going away, friends! They are a healthier and quicker way to cook so many things! Check out my favorite air fryers below (I have a few styles, so when I do my testing, I can adjust as needed).

Air Fryer barbecue chicken breast sliced on a plate with a fork.
NO dry chicken! YES PLEASE!

My favorite Air Fryers

There are many great air fryers out there, use your favorite, here are a few I recommend.

  • Cosori Air Fryer is the next up, a dedicated air fryer with a larger square basket.
  • Ninja Foodi Air Fryer & Indoor Grill — a nice wide and easy-to-operate air fryer. What I made these French toast sticks in.
  • My favorite Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro (it does it all!), love, love this air fryer, countertop oven.

#2 Air Fryer Italian Sausage and Peppers

Keep the sausages whole for dinner or bite-size — perfect for a March Madness appetizer with this yummy dipping sauce! Ready lickity split!

Air fryer sausage and peppers with spicy mustard sauce; sausage bites.
RECIPE PLEASE!!

#3 Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream (No-Churn)

Bring strawberry season indoors with this creamy take on strawberry shortcake! Strawberry shortcake ice cream is dreamy! And since it doesn’t require an ice cream maker, it’s ready for the freezer in about 15 minutes!

Make this recipe with your kiddos or grandkids or just because you want some yummy strawberry ice cream!

Bowl with three scoops of strawberry shortcake ice cream, with a spoon and a fresh strawberry on top.
recipe pretty please, with a strawberry on top!

A few of my favorite strawberry recipes

While we are talking strawbs, here are a few of my faves!

Strawberry Freezer jam in jelly jar with leaves and fresh strawberries.

Low Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam

Forget the cooking, special canning equipment, and hot water bath that come with making traditional jam. This recipe is oh-so-easy with simple steps and sweetly divine flavor! It’s a low-sugar strawberry freezer jam recipe that will make you swoon!

Read more
How to make strawberry cheesecake cups, shown on a plate ready to serve, topped with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

Strawberry Phyllo Cups

How to make delicious strawberry cheesecake cups with phyllo dough! The combination of sweet strawberries and creamy cheesecake, all wrapped up in crispy phyllo dough cups.

Read more
Strawberry Bundt Cake with glaze and topped with strawberry crunch topping.

Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake

Strawberry crunch pound cake is an easy buttery strawberry bundt cake! Made with fresh strawberries, a crunchy sugar coating, topped with a simple glaze, and sprinkled with an irresistible strawberry crunch topping!

Read more

Rate the Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love it when you try my recipes, rate them, and share your thoughts! It really helps others and boosts the recipe’s visibility. I so appreciate you!

A week in my life…

Our weather’s been a roller coaster: nearly 80 on Sunday, then a snow squall on Tuesday. Temps dropped from 43 to 31 in no time, hitting 13 by Wednesday morning. Experienced a snow squall—intense but short-lived, dropping 2 inches in an hour. Back to the 60s now, but talk about weather whiplash!

No traveling for me this week! Phew! I did have my book club (I always love that) — it was a harder read, and I had to persevere through the first 100 pages (at least), but then the storyline gets good and I learned a lot about the French Revolution — a brutal time.

My hubby and I watched The Jesus Revolution; it was so good, I grew up in that era and actually that area, visiting Greg Laurie’s church several times. You can rent it on Amazon Prime, or it’s free if you have Netflix.

I had fun styling our little coffee table vignette (pic below)– You are looking at $6 of discounted flowers there! I always get at least a week of life out of them! And I am so loving this little Easter Devotional. I always get asked where I got my round wooden tray!

Please don’t judge me for the condition of my coffee table! It weathered my late 20s, raised two rambunctious boys, and hosted countless forts and dinners by the fire. It needs to be retired or refinished or something. LOL! Hopefully, this year!

Spring flowers on round wooden tray with Easter Devotional book and coasters.
Bring a little spring indoors!

Be a TFC Insider

As part of our TFC family, you’ll be the FIRST to see new recipes as they’re posted. Just scroll on a post, and a small window will drop down. Click YES, and next time on your computer, you’ll see a discreet window at the bottom of your screen leading you directly to the new recipe! Opting out is easy if you change your mind (I won’t know!).

How to sign up for immediate recipe action.

Fun Fact About Me

I have my forklift driver’s license! Did you even know there was such a thing??

100 years ago (apparently, I’m into exaggerating today) 😉 when I worked for Promise Keepers as their Product Marketing Manager, we set up Walmart-sized stores for weekend conferences; learning how to drive one to move pallets of books, mugs, and clothing around became necessary. So there you go! Now you know!

Bonus fun fact: I didn’t meet my hubby until after I left Promise Keepers, and we joke that we crossed paths numerous times at various events both of us attended. He bought several books and ballcaps at several events; I could have checked him out! (Both literally and visually!) HAHA!

What Readers Are Saying about…

Vanilla Sauce (aka liquid gold)

I first had this sauce about 20 years ago (okay, this time, I’m NOT exaggerating) at a MOPS meeting. This sauce was served puddled over this pear bundt cake, and the room was silent as the women ate! Then, finally, one brave soul said, “Would it be rude if I licked my plate? That sauce is liquid gold” or something like that!

The rest is history; I use it on so MANY things! Easy Chocolate Bread pudding, Cranberry Cake, Pear Bundt Cake, this Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream or even in your coffee or tea!!!

This vanilla sauce is simply the best!

Ellen
Silver spoon with creamy, thick vanilla sauce dripping into jar.
Liquid gold — Vanilla Sauce
>>>> RECIPE

I want your Feedback!

Below the recipe card (on the recipe post itself), you can drop a comment and rate it with 5 ⭐️s – pretty please, with a cherry on top! This little act boosts visibility on search engines for smaller bloggers like me, helping more people discover and enjoy our recipes. Thanks a bunch for your support!

What Caught My Eye | Sales and Deals

Check out the below favorite things and more HERE! Plus, previous week’s finds!

What YOU loved from last week!

  • These slip-on leather sneakers, so comfy!!!
  • This gauzy Indigo shirt dress — should arrive today or tomorrow!
  • You loved these joggers (in dusk violet)! I have black too!
  • I have this ¼ zip butter soft sweatshirt in ivory, but I ordered it in black too! Don’t let the models throw you off, especially for short-waisted women, it fits great!
  • You loved this bunny rabbit quartet (30% off)!

New Eye Catching Finds and Deals!

  • I love my Tovolo Ice Cream Tub – it’s slim enough it fits in a freezer door!
  • Love the price of this shirtdress and the fact that it has pockets!
  • How about this feminine A-line rayon and linen dress in guava?
  • Do you wear nightgowns? Love this springy one! I get tangled in nightgowns, but I am crushing on this (GREAT PRICE) 3-piece robe, tank, and pants set.
  • Some great sale items on Land’s End! Like this ¾ sleeve henley in black current.
  • I’ve heard people rave about these Rothy’s being the most comfortable shoe they’ve ever worn? Have you tried them, are they worth the investment?

Browse my Amazon Storefront


Weekly Inspiration | Better Together

We are better together than we are alone. Alone we are isolated and easy prey. A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken. Based on Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

I loved this lesson from my Bible study this week. God’s love reminds us that our brokenness doesn’t define us — His unconditional love does!

Through the Father’s LAVISH LOVE, you are transformed, renewed, and brought into a relationship that eternally defines who you are.

God calls you His own – a child of God – not your past, hurts, sins or rejections. You are His, and you are loved beyond all measure! (Based on 1 John 3:1)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1


I hope you have the best plans for your weekend! May the Lord bless your weekend with grace, peace and joy.

Coming soon…Bailey’s Ice Cream (dreamy!), Hamburger Helper Lasagna (the healthy version), and Sous Vide Salmon with creamy dill sauce!

signature, Love, Kathleen


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!

Visit our Updated Amazon Shop

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My 2025 Summer Recipe Round-up

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Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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