Welcome to the weekend my friends! We had a great time in the White Mountains of Arizona with my family last weekend. (Thank goodness we weren’t heading down into the valley, which is about the temperature of my oven this summer.) The heatwave up in the mountains this year has been far from great, but at 9,000 feet it hasn’t been terrible.
I’ve probably ridden between Arizona and New Mexico at least 100 times in my life, and this time it was a whole new experience. For part of the journey we took the number 117 and had an unexpectedly breathtaking ride. We stopped and walked the short way up to La Ventana Arch. It’s about 18 miles south of Interstate 40 at exit 89 and is worth the stop.
ON THIS WEEK’S BLOGS: Rich chocolate, creamy peanut butter and frozen bananas are blended in blissful harmony in this chocolate and peanut butter smoothie – which tastes more like a peanut butter and banana milkshake than a breakfast drink.
Crispy breakfast potatoes, roasted to perfection, with a fluffy center and plenty of spices, play a key role in many of our favorite breakfast recipes.
Roasted green beans and carrots deliver a delicious blend of flavors and textures. You can season them as per the recipe below or mix them up with any number of different spice combinations.
The irresistible combination of hearty peas, crispy bacon and hearty cheese complemented by a delicious creamy dressing creates a perfect harmony of flavors in this pea and pasta salad.
Grab a chip and enjoy this creamy dip with caramelized onions. This tantalizing appetizer combines the smoothness of sour cream with the sweet and savory essence of onions, cooked slowly and to perfection. Nothing like the onion dips you’ve tried before, this dip will leave your taste buds craving for more.
Creamy chocolate ice cream filled with chocolate covered cashews and topped with caramel sauce result in bowls of bear claw ice cream that no one can resist.
Melted dark chocolate is whipped with flavorful cream cheese and some cream to create this luxurious no-bake chocolate mousse.
With tangy, sweet rhubarb and an irresistible cinnamon sugar cookie topping, this rhubarb cobbler is just crying out for a scoop of cold ice cream.
What I long for: These blackened fish tacos with chipotle lime sauce make my mouth water. We’re having a BBQ this weekend and I think that needs to happen sooner rather than later.
my favorite thing This week is my new Fitbit. Do you remember Fitbit? The bracelet pedometer we all used about 10-15 years ago? Well, I started training a few months ago (yes, I just wrote that) and wanted a very basic non-smartwatch heart rate monitor.
It turns out Fitbit has come a long way in the 15 years since it released its first tracker. I bought the Inspire 3 (it almost certainly cost less than my first one too – see picture) and in addition to step tracking, there’s GPS tracking for a walk or run, a watch with a timer, stopwatch, and alarm, as well as O2, exercise, heart rate, and sleep monitors. I really like it so far.
What I read: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. So many of you recommended it, I lost track! My friend Henny was the first to mention it to me and a few days ago it was finally available in the library and I downloaded it straight away. I am addicted! It’s such an unusual story and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
(Yes, I’m breaking my own rule of never mentioning a book until I’ve read it – I hope I don’t have to miss out on the thumbs-up review next week!)
What I hear: Black coffee from Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa. This recently appeared on one of my Pandora stations and I was hooked from the first listen. Bonamassa’s guitar and Beth’s voice are a fantastic combination. “Why Don’t You Do It Right?” is my favorite on the album right now.
“In conclusion, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is praiseworthy, if there is anything excellent, if there is anything worthy of praise, ponder these things.” Philippians 4:8 ESV
Have a great week full of little things that make you smile!
Maria