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Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We are in Louisiana this weekend and headed to a crawfish boil this afternoon. That’s a first for me and I’m pretty excited to see how it’s done.
We’re planning to spend a couple of hours in New Orleans tomorrow morning before heading home – basically long enough to walk a bit in Jackson Square and get coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde. (That whole work-school-life thing is making this a quick trip.) Shoot me a note if there’s something I truly shouldn’t miss in the area.
ON THE BLOGS this week: This spice and herb crusted pork roast is packed with flavor and a surprising kick from the peppers and the salt. Pork sirloin roast makes a delicious dinner any night of the week.
Our friend Tony’s Slow Cooker Baked Beans are chock-full of bacon and beef, sweetened with molasses and then simmered until thick and sweet. When I tell you that people go crazy over these beans, I’m not exaggerating.
Crunchy yet chewy; sweet and smokey, I feel like goldilocks when I eat this cauliflower broccoli salad because it has just the right amount of everything. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself making and eating this salad on repeat!
If you’re a fan of the strawberries and cream combination, a sweet steaming bowl of strawberries and cream oatmeal is quite possibly the epitome of breakfast comfort food.
Tender peas, sweet carrots, and savory bits of celery and onions in a creamy, rich beef gravy baked inside a buttery crust make for a fantastic ground beef pot pie.
Crispy, ever so tender, and scrumptious air fryer smashed Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze are impossible to pass up. I dare you to eat just one.
Flaky tuna, crunchy bits of red onion, and bell peppers tossed with freshly cooked pasta in a creamy, tangy dressing make for a colorful (and oh so very tasty!) Tuna Pasta Salad.
No-bake cookies have met their match with these no bake chocolate peanut butter bars. It doesn’t get much easier than just stirring everything together and pouring it into a pan.
Dark chocolate ice cream delivers just the right amount of sweetness, it’s the perfect treat for chocolate lovers who enjoy a bittersweet twist.
What I’m CRAVING: Have you heard of a Danish Dream Cake? My mouth is watering at the thought of that fluffy light cake with a coconut caramel topping. I need to try this one for myself!
My FAVORITE THINGS this week are my wireless earbuds. I don’t know when I’ve ever been so pleased with a $30 purchase – and they’re on sale now for $25! My kids and I all have these earbuds and in over 18 months of near-constant use, we have yet to have any issues with them. They continue to work flawlessly.
What I’m LISTENING to: Walker Hayes. Admittedly, I’m a little late to this party, but so much of his music is just plain fun. He’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea and I’m discovering that country music purists don’t seem to be his biggest fans. But that isn’t stopping me from enjoying the heck out of his music right now.
What I’m READING: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. I’m about halfway through this one and have no qualms about sharing it with you now. This book is the precursor to his book Digital Minimalism and I like it every bit as much.
While both shallow and deep work each have a place in our lives, deep work is typically more rewarding and requires focus. So, if it’s important to you to be both efficient and create quality work, make regular time in your life to go distraction-free. There’s plenty of fluff in the book as well, and it’s all basically common sense, but I found the stories to be interesting and motivating.
I found each of these books to be a great read on their own and even better together. There is a lot of solid info here that may make you rethink the way you use your devices, even if you aren’t necessarily interested in reducing your use of technology. If you’re anything like me and have given some thought to the amount of time we spend immersed in technology, the books are likely to inspire you.
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 ESV
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
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