The Little Things Newsletter #482 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m looking forward to lunch with friends, and then a very relaxed movie night with my family. We’re finally going to watch the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. That TV show is nostalgic for our kids, and I’ll admit that I can’t wait to see Gerard Butler tackle the role of Stoick the Vast. It’s going to be a fun night.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Sweet peaches, tart and tangy blackberries, fresh mint, basil, and parsley are tossed together with a tangy-sweet vinaigrette over creamy burrata to create the summer salad that I can’t stop eating.

Just in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve become a wee bit obsessed with my air fryer over the past couple of years, and as it turns out, the air fryer creates cheesy French bread pizzas with a chewy, crispy crust. It’s homemade pizza that’s fast enough for a lunch or dinner.

This creamy corn with jalapeno has become one of my favorite corn side dishes. The sweet pop of fresh corn is tucked in a rich, creamy cheese sauce with jalapenos and pairs beautifully with just about anything, from these grilled steak kabobs to roasted chicken to juicy, crisp kielbasa bites and so much more.

After I finished making the 6th or 8th or maybe it was the 10th batch of peach jam, I decided to use the last of my peaches to make a simple peach syrup. I had visions of a peach whiskey smash or maybe a fresh peach martini in mind. And once you have a batch of peach syrup on hand, you’re going to want to drizzle it into all kinds of deliciousness.

You’ll want to save enough of the syrup to mix up a pitcher of this peach iced tea too. There’s something extra special about a glass of iced tea when it’s warm outside. I’ll happily drink tea year-round, but in the summertime, a cold glass in my hand encourages me to head for the front porch and enjoy the moment.

To wrap up this year’s peach fun, I made this peach sorbet. It’s bright, flavorful, and bursting with juicy sweetness. Made with just peaches, lemon juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt, peach sorbet is proof that the simplest recipes are often the best.

What I’m CRAVING: I just made this Asian salmon salad last week (for the 3rd? 4th? time in the past couple of months) and now I’m craving it all over again. It’s just so dang perfect. Now I’m thinking I should mix it up with something like this Asian shrimp salad. That one looks great, too.

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are my wireless earbuds. I’ve shared my love for these very inexpensive earbuds before. (The brand new version is currently on sale for $27 – I expected total garbage the first time I bought a pair, and they wound up being the best find ever. I’ve had mine for years now.) I just bought a new pair because mine were finally wearing out. The new ones are supposed to be waterproof (though I am unlikely to ever test that feature on purpose), and the sound is even better than the original. 

What I’m READING: I’m in the middle of three different books, so hopefully I’ll have a finished review for you next week!

What I’m LISTENING to: Look Up Child by Lauren Daigle. This is my favorite of her albums. Her voice is incredible, and I’ve mistaken her for Adele a time or two – if you want a reference for her sound.

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 ESV

Wishing you a beautiful week filled with little things that make you smile!

Mary