I look forward to the small window every spring when we wait with bated breath for the world to burst into bloom. Right now, where I live, it’s happening. I love watching the trees transition from buds to fully unfurled leaves. Then one day … just like that … the trees are suddenly lush and the world just seems so much better. It’s during this period that I like to take stock of what’s growing in my yard. While still early, I like to investigate that my faithful perennials have returned while hopeful what I planted the previous year is starting to come up. In this post, I’ll take you on a tour (even before I started sprucing up my beds!) of what’s growing so far to set the stage for this growing season in central New England.
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When I was young, green peppers weren’t my favorite. I thought the flavor was too strong and overpowering. But my mother loved them, and over the years, they grew on me. I enjoyed her homemade stuffed peppers made with ground beef and rice. Now, decades later, thinking of my Mom and her wholesome meals, I’m craving the flavor without all the work. This healthy and hearty recipe is very adaptable for all kinds of eating plans (like WW, Mediterranean Diet, Whole30). So, even if you’re watching bad carbs or carbs in general, this recipe will find its way onto your regular cooking rotation.
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I love pesto shrimp made into a salad or an appetizer and this dish is something in between. It could be eaten on a plate on its own. It’s light and refreshing spooned over some greens and would make an elegant dinner party first course. It’s good with some crusty French bread or even over whole grain toast. More often than not, however; I serve as a dip with tortilla chips, Fritos scoops or endive. It’s perfect for enjoying small bites at a gathering.
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I love doing baking projects with my favorite little people, my grandkids, who are truly the best kitchen helpers. Last year, my youngest grandson, Joe, now 6, joined me for some Mémé time to try out the favorite “Mrs. Fields” chocolate cookie recipe from my side of the family. Being the week before Easter, we used pastel-colored candies to make the cookies more festive.
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If you have a chance to visit Delray Beach, I highly recommend it, especially if you’re from a cooler clime like me where winter can seem forever long. My husband and I visited in February and we were blessed with five idyllic days of perfect weather. Delray Beach provides an excellent home base to explore Palm Beach County where there’s so much to do. You’ll fill out your itinerary in record time and start planning your next visit to the Gold Coast.
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Purple is my favorite color, so to pay homage to this hue, I’m sharing a delicious blueberry-flavored smoothie that’ll bring a smile to your morning. Over the past year, I’ve been experimenting with smoothie recipes and developing my go-to collection. I’ve been obsessed with the color of my smoothies that range from red, green, pale orange, yellow and purple. I find extra pleasure sipping on pretty-colored healthy breakfast drinks, so I continue experimenting with ingredients. As they say, variety is the spice of life; it’s so true with smoothies!
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I’ve embraced smoothies and I feel better for it. Really. It’s not a hardship to sip on a delicious and nutritious breakfast while getting in my veggies and fruit first thing every day. I’ve never been a big breakfast eater, so adopting smoothies has fit in well with my lifestyle. Plus, they’re so convenient working from home or drinking in the car when commuting to work or running errands.
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This post celebrates my first year as a personal blogger. It’s been a learning experience and something I’ve dreamed of doing for more than a decade. While I’m still getting my feet wet, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far in my first 40 posts marking my blog’s anniversary. It started with plotting out my goals in 2022 while self-quarantining from COVID-19. During my isolation period, I carefully set my goals in writing using my brand-new Commit30 planner. I jotted down “write more,” and there you here you have it. This was the impetus to bring Literally Laurie to life.
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St. Maarten/St. Martin is my happy place that checks off many of my happiness goals! In this post, I will be sharing some of my favorite places and things to do on this two-nation island for a family vacation. This Caribbean destination has a unique following of devout visitors who consider the island their home away from home, returning year after year. While renting a car may not be necessary depending on where you stay, to get the best experience especially for your first trip, plan to rent a car for at least a few days to freely explore the island.
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This is an easy, go-to sheet pan dinner I cook often during winter when the grill isn’t as accessible. Because the chicken sausage is precooked, I can get this meal on the table fast. I almost always have these ingredients on hand; and if I don’t, I can easily swap out the veggies with something else in my fridge.
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I’ve been making sheet pan dinners decades before this method became the rage on Pinterest. When we built our house, I insisted we needed two ovens and it was the best decision. Sheet pan dinners are my go-to during the week, especially during the winter, and there’s always something on hand that will make a tasty, quick meal. Plus, I don’t have to babysit the cooking process. I just need to check on the progress and give the sheet pan ingredients a quick stir a few times while it roasts.
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I no longer make New Year’s resolutions. Somehow resolutions always seem frivolous and short lived, barely going past February. Since last year, I’m committed to plot out my goals instead for the coming year and track them in a journal. It makes a life-changing difference, believe me. In this blog post, I’ll share this process to help you make the most of 2023.
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