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The Little Things Newsletter #446 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! This has been the chilliest week so far and I’m looking forward to temperatures that might be a wee bit warmer next week. I managed to get out for a walk just once this week, and let me tell you, we were chilled from head to toe when we got back home. And the weather was completely worthy of the hot cocoa we made when we were finally back home!

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:  Ground beef stroganoff puts a new spin on the classic dish. Easy and fast enough for any weeknight, this stroganoff tastes every bit as good as the original–maybe even better.

Creamy, nutty, and just a little bit salty, these 4 ingredient cheese balls are incredibly simple to throw together, perfect for elevating your next charcuterie night – or for anytime you want a cheesy snack that will keep nicely in the fridge.

Baked sweet potatoes with their soft fluffy insides are delightful with a simple pat of butter and a sprinkling of kosher salt. These potatoes make a hearty side dish or a light meal on their own. I’ve been baking them in the air fryer lately for an easy warm lunch.

Homemade shrimp ramen is a quick and satisfying twist on the classic Japanese dish. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this easy recipe offers a flavorful shortcut to a delicious bowl of noodles, succulent shrimp, and aromatic broth. Perfect for chilly days when you crave a comforting meal without the fuss.

Rich chocolate brownies with cranberries and pecans are one of my favorite easy-to-make desserts this time of year – it is an unexpected and fun holiday flavor combination.

Served plain or topped with ice cream and hot fudge sauce, I’ve been making cranberry brownies at least a few times every holiday season for years. And without exception, everyone who has tasted them has raved over them.

Ice Cream French Toast? You bet. This delightfully crisp-edged, custardy French toast only needs three ingredients; melted ice cream, Brioche bread, and butter. It is utterly perfect and so easy to make!

Cinnamon ice cream is a sweet, rich, vanilla custard ice cream spiced with enough cinnamon to linger after each bite. (Save a few scoops for a batch of French toast and you’ll have a breakfast no one will ever forget.)

Buckeye Pretzels are peanut butter balls sandwiched between pretzels and dipped in chocolate, this is a salty-sweet twist on a classic!

If seeing the ever-popular Peanut Butter Balls (a.k.a. Buckeyes) waiting on a dessert table thrills you, then these salty-sweet bites of chocolate peanut butter happiness are going to be your new favorite!

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Christi has a recipe for chicken and dumplings made with tortillas, it looks great – and super easy too! I can’t wait to try it.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this insulated carrier. I’ve used it several times over the past couple of months to transport food and everything has stayed warm until we were ready to eat. I even used it to hold the mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving day while waiting for the rest of the meal to finish and the potatoes were still nice and warm when we were finally ready to eat. 

What I’m WATCHING: I’m starting my Christmas movie watching this weekend. It’s a toss-up between sentimental or funny for tonight. Will it be It’s a Wonderful Life? or Die Hard? White Christmas? or The Ref? Who knows? But I know I’ll enjoy whichever one I wind up watching.

What I’m READING: I’m very much enjoying The Advent of Glory by R.C. Sproul. It’s a solid easy-to-read advent devotional and each chapter reminds me to slow down and reflect on the true heart of Christmas.

What I’m LISTENING to: I’ve had Kacey Musgraves in my playlist for weeks now. As much as I’ve enjoyed her newest album, I’m enjoying her older music just as much now and her Christmas album is a whole lot of fun too.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

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