My Favorite Reads

Each week, I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite things I've read on the web lately. I always wish I could share the great things I read with my friends and family, and I think this is one easy way to do it. I hope you enjoy!

Things I'd Like to Cook:

photo by Erin

Recipe for Pizza Penne Bake from One Dish Dinners - I made something like this before and totally forgot about it! It's really good.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries from The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Oh my. I have seriously been dreaming about this salad. I don't know why I haven't made it yet! It's made just for me. 

Things I'd Like to Bake:

photo by Bridget

Beer Bread, 4 Ways from Bake at 350 - Jason and I both love beer bread, and this post gives some interesting ideas for some new recipes. I can't wait to try them!

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cake from the Tasty Kitchen Blog - One word. Yum.

Homemade Hot Dog Buns from Good Cheap Eats - I've been wanting to make these for awhile. And you can follow the same recipe to make hamburger buns. What a great idea - I bet they're delicious!

Around the House Tips/Shortcuts:

photo by Kara

A Peek Inside My Laundry Room: Caring for Kids' Clothes from Simple Kids - Ever since my friend Colleen gave me some homemade laundry detergent, I've been so interested in all the possibilities! This article got me even more excited about cheaper and better alternatives to Tide.

Stock Your Freezer with "Overripe" Bananas and Save from The Plan to Eat Blog - I recently saw a bag of overripe bananas for sale at the grocery store, and I was so close to buying. I decided against it because I just wasn't sure if I'd be able to find uses for so many bananas. Turns out, there are so many possibilities!

Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Why I Eat Butter from Keeper of the Home - I'm being more and more convinced that our country's love for low-fat and nonfat foods is actually very unhealthy (unless they're naturally low or nonfat foods, of course). I think this post makes a lot of sense and could really change your way of thinking, if you're interested!

Parenting - Words of Wisdom:

photo by Katie

13 Things Parents Do that Inhibit Real Play from Having Fun at Home - I love this post, and it's great reminders for me as Janie starts to play and interact with the world around her. 

Baby Treasure Basket from The Imagination Tree - A great tool that promotes interactive, open-ended, and imaginative play. I want to put together one of these for Janie

Marriage - Words of Wisdom:

One Better from (in)courage - Such a great encouragement for choosing to do the right thing in my interactions with everyone, but especially my husband. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

Photography:

photo by Susan Keller

How to Take Zoo Pictures from I Heart Faces - I can't wait to go to the zoo and take pictures with my new camera after reading this post!