From Cornstalks to Cozy Dinners 🌽✨

Hey Friend,

So funny story—I have a flower bed out by the playground in our backyard. When we bought the house, it was this gorgeous garden with a huge elephant ear plant right in the middle. This year, I couldn’t find the plant in time—only bulbs—and by the time I was planting, it was kind of too late. So instead I filled the bed with zinnias, marigolds, coleus, and geraniums.

Unfortunately… rabbits thought it was their personal buffet. I lost quite a few plants, though some survived. The middle stayed bare, and I kept thinking, I’ll replant something there later.

Well one day, while pulling weeds, I noticed a little sprout right in the center that looked different. I let it be. Time passed and now—out of nowhere—I have an 8-foot tall corn stalk in my flower bed! 😂 My farmer brother-in-law confirmed it’s just plain field corn, so not exactly edible. How it got there is a mystery (I’m blaming squirrels). It makes me laugh every time I see it.

Featured Recipe – Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Orzo

Serves 4
This one-pan dinner feels cozy and fancy but comes together in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 cups fresh spinach

• 1 cup orzo pasta

• 2 ½ cups chicken broth

• ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)

• ½ cup grated Parmesan

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in orzo, broth, and cream. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until orzo is tender.

3. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, and Parmesan. Add chicken back to pan and let it warm through.

4. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley.

👉 Creamy, cheesy, veggie-packed—kids and adults love it!

Weekly Meal Ideas

Here’s some inspiration to take the stress out of dinner planning:

• Monday: Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Orzo (featured recipe)

• Tuesday: Mango Chicken Curry

• Wednesday: Burger Bowls with Fries

• Thursday: Zuppa Toscana (Paleo)

• Friday: Taco Stuffed Delicata Squash

• Saturday: Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs

• Sunday: Sheet Pan Honey- Chipotle Chicken and Sweet Potato

Quick Snack/Treat – PB&J Oatmeal Bars (School Lunch Friendly!)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup natural peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter for nut-free)

• ½ cup honey or maple syrup

• ½ cup strawberry or grape jam

Instructions:

1. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment.

2. Mix oats, peanut butter, and honey together until sticky. Press half into the pan.

3. Spread jam across, then press the rest of the oat mixture on top.

4. Chill in the fridge for 2+ hours before cutting into bars.

Perfect for lunchboxes—chewy, sweet, and no baking required!

6. Encouragement

That huge corn stalk in my garden reminded me—sometimes the most enjoyable parts of our lives aren’t the ones we carefully plan, but the surprises that pop up along the way. Maybe today feels full of weeds and rabbits nibbling away, but God has a way of planting something unexpected right in the middle.

7. What’s in Season (August Spotlight)

• Sweet corn 🌽

• Tomatoes 🍅

• Peppers 🫑

• Zucchini & summer squash 🥒

• Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) 🍓

Best,

Cara