Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Can I just start by saying “YAY for January”? I love the fresh start that the new year brings us. I’m not one for setting specific goals or resolutions in January, but I do love the fresh clean beginning after the holidays.
The first few months of 2024 are jam-packed for us and I’m looking forward to all of it – while also soaking in every calm moment at home in between times. I’m headed to NM next week for my annual sister trip and counting down the days until I can hug my sisters again.
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Some foods are so basic, so incredibly simple, that it can be difficult to describe their awesomeness. That’s how I feel about cottage cheese with fruit. Two ingredients. (Sure, you can dress it up a bit, if you like, but at its heart, just 2 ingredients.) Whether this is my breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a sweet bite after dinner, I eat this combination at some point nearly every single day.
Savory chunks of chicken mingle with sweet grapes, crunchy walnuts, and crisp apples in this easy Chicken Waldorf Salad. This is a lunch you will put on repeat!
Tender chunks of ham meld with earthy green beans and hearty potatoes in this super simple meal of Crockpot Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes. When I tell you that this was an unexpected success, I can’t emphasize that enough. This is hearty comfort food that isn’t heavy with cheese or oils. It’s as simple as can be and my whole family gave it two thumbs up.
Fluffy potatoes with crisp, roasted edges are seasoned to perfection with just rosemary, salt, and pepper in these Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. My whole family starts to grab these right off the pan when they come out of the oven.
Brown sugar is the star of the show in this homemade Brown Sugar Icing with notes of caramel and molasses mingling in this pourable, dreamy frosting.
The unforgettable tang of rich, buttermilk cake is topped with a layer of sweet caramel frosting in this Buttermilk Cake topped with that irresistible icing.
Spicy Chocolate Ice Cream is cold, creamy chocolate with a hint of spicy heat from chili and cinnamon. This ice cream warms your mouth even as you are chilled from the ice cream. The combination of heat with the cold is fantastic.
What I’m CRAVING: I’ve gone from craving all the salads last week to craving all the pancakes today! (Did you know we have