Spoopy Trail Mix

 

Halloween will be upon us before we know it and all the cute little spoopy kids will be taking over the neighborhoods...and in about two months, the dentists offices will be overflowing with appointments (from the adults, not the kids).  I myself have been known to partake in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, or two, or twenty.

I prepared my annual holiday care package to the grandkids and mailed out in time for their trick-or-treating adventure.  After all, kids need some energy on that long trek in the search for sweets and as "Nana", I am more than happy to provide such "nourishment".

Lucky for me there was just enough for Nana's private stash too!  Perfect size bags for my car or purse.

Are these just the cutest and festive jars?!  I also made some for my daughters, their friends, and roommates.

Spoopy Trail Mix

Candy Pumpkins

M&M's , plain

peanuts, salted (optional)

Chex Mix Muddy Buddies

mini pretzels

Candy corn

Bugles

Goldfish crackers

Caramel Corn

Honeycomb cereal

One Year Ago:  Apple Pie and Fall Nights

Two Years Ago:  Honey-Soy Salmon and Leaving My Honey Home Alone

Three Years Ago:  No Post

Four Years Ago:  Baked Spaghetti and Spiking Cancer

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Raspberry Silk Pie and Rocky Mountain Park Picnic

Six Years Ago:  Chocolate Chip Shortbreads

Seven Years Ago:  Pasta, Parent Conferences and Pantry Purging

S'mores Cookies and Some More Injuries

 I recently found myself once again in another cyber rabbit hole.  During one of my 2am wake up calls (not by my choice, of course), I decided not to play my usual chicken rotisserie tossing around, and around, and around.  I gave up and just got out of bed...that was my first mistake.

I went to my usual addiction site...Pinterest.  I started with Fall easy appetizers, then got sidetracked into cute Fall manicure designs, then family photo wall galleries, and ended up how to dress cute for 50+ women...I know, it boggles my mind too.  

Later that day, we needed to move some furniture downstairs to make room for our plumber.  My husband asked for my assistance.  The giving wife that I am, I stopped everything and went down to help him.  

The goal was to put our 100 pound dining table base on the rolling trolley that we use to move furniture.  I held the trolley and he lifted the base so it would glide right on.  Let me repeat that, the base was just going to "glide right on".  

Before he even had it fully upright the entire base collapsed.  Not to worry though, it didn't brake since my foot caught the whole thing!  Mistake #2, don't move furniture on sleep deprivation.  Please forgive my dry skin in photo.  It hurts so bad to touch, I can't even put lotion on.  Also, as a side note, no photoshopping was done...it is actually that green all around my foot.  By the size of that lovely gash in there, looks like my leg modeling days are done, wouldn't you say?

Since we have been inundated with wind, ash, and heat over the summer, unfortunately we didn't get to enjoy as many fire table and s'mores nights like would have wanted.  

In the same said Pinterest night I also saw a post for S'mores cookies which looked amazing, so I printed out the recipe.  I went to make them and realized I lost the recipe.  So, I Googled and found the recipe and made these...

Then I found the old recipe page that I thought I lost remember that whole sleep deprivation thing.  After I made these, I looked back at the old recipe and realized it wasn't even the same?!?!  

At any rate, these are wonderful and fun to make.  Enjoy (and get some sleep).

S'mores Cookies

Courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything

11 Tbl unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp seat salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini marshmallows

3 regular sized Hershey's bars, broken into pieces

1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, seat salt, and cinnamon to combine.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.

Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.  Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking pans with parchment paper.  

Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching).  

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1-1/2 inches apart.  Press down slightly with fingertips.

Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey's bar pieces on to the top.  

Bake an additional 5-7 minutes or more if your cookies are thicker.  They will be done when the edges begin to turn golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

One Year Ago: Apple Pie and Fall Nights

Two Years Ago: Honey-Soy Salmon and Leaving My Honey Home Alone

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago:  Coconut Chicken with Mango Sauce

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Raspberry Silk Pie and Rocky Mountain Park Picnic

Six Years Ago:  Greek Shrimp Saganaki

Seven Years Ago:  Chicken Tortilla Soup For The Weary

Blueberry-Balsamic Salmon

 

I have been hunkered down this past week with cold fall days and wind like I have never seen before.  We have had to rescue our patio furniture more than once, which almost ended up in both neighbors' yards.  I hope I have retrieved all our patio cushions (all 53 of them), because if one took off, I will never find it.

In other news...how cute are these fall pillows I just found for this year's decorating.  I am loving the "leftovers" one, I think it is absolutely hilarious!

However, my husband (aka Russell Wilson) thinks playing with our dogs (aka D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett) and "going long" with his "football" (aka red Kong), thinks that is really fun.  Unfortunately, my pretty little pillow decorations are constantly taking a hit on Seahawks nights....ugh, I give up!

I hope you are all continuing to stay strong, healthy, and...sparkly!

Blueberry-Balsamic Salmon 

1 cup fresh blueberries

4 Tbl balsamic vinegar

2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp honey

2 tsp red wine

2 (4 ounce) salmon fillets

In a small bowl add the blueberries, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, honey, and red wine.  Toss well until combined.  Set aside.

Coat a nonstick skillet with canola oil cooking spray and place over medium heat.  Cook the salmon about 4 minutes per side, or until the fish is cooked through.  Set aside.  Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully wipe away any liquid with paper towel.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the reserved blueberry mixture.  Stirring constantly, cook 2 minutes, until the blueberries start to burst and sauce is just thickened.

Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve with freshly steamed green beans.

One Year Ago:  One Pot Chicken and Sage Dumplings and The First Snow

Two Years Ago:  The First Snow with Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

Three Years Ago:  No Post

Four Years Ago:  Coconut Chicken with Mango Sauce

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and the Lodge Room

Six Years Ago:  German Chocolate Bundt Cake

Seven Years Ago:  Chicken Tortilla Soup For The Weary

Southern Benedict and New Stairwell

√ Check one off the list!

We have happily completed one of the latest projects on our main level of house.  Our home (originally) included a half wall at the front entry.  We have been looking at this wall for two years and finally decided it was time to make the change...bring on the sledge hammer.

So, out the wall went and after many, many, many trips to Lowe's, Home Depot, and wood supplier, we had our plan and ready to go.

However, living in a construction zone for the past couple of weeks is always a bit of a challenge, but so worth it in the end.

My husband has been diligently multitasking even painting after work while on the phone (notice the ear piece).  

The most crucial piece of all this was the post. This had to be installed spot on, as it affected the entire project, aesthetically and structurally.

We were really excited to start seeing progress and the finish line coming closer and closer after each weekend/night of working on this.

This was my contribution, other than being the color consultant...to make sure these little base shoes are installed the correct direction for top and bottom of balusters.

Thank goodness my husband has all the key tools and experience to make these projects come to life.

Here we are with the finished art piece.  Not bad for a couple of amateurs!  We are loving how much this has opened up our home and stairwell area.

Other than being our master stair banister builder, my husband's day job is a Senior Project Manager with a commercial construction company.

He came home a few weeks ago and shared about a restaurant that he was remodeling.  He told me about their menu and this Country Benedict they feature.  At this point, I think I may have started drooling hearing about this dish.

Since we live far from this restaurant, I wanted to try my hand at it to see if I could recreate this at home.  Oh my!!!  Okay, it's a little rich and heavy, but for a special treat now and then, yum!  

The next time I am in the big city, I will definitely come visit them and try out their Country Benedict.  

Enjoy, stay healthy, and sparkly this coming week!

Southern Benedict

Inspired by Chef Zorba's in Denver (Country Benedict)

1 pound Jimmy Dean's Breakfast ground sausage

1/8 cup flour

3 cups whole milk

1/2 t. Lawry's season salt

1 t. pepper

freshly baked southern biscuits (of your choosing)

sausage breakfast patties, cooked 

poached eggs

Cook sausage breakfast patties thoroughly and set aside.  Cover to keep warm.

For the sausage gravy:  Brown the ground breakfast sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Sprinkle on half the flour and stir so that the sausage is evenly coated and flour is cooked off.  Pour in milk and stir constantly.  

Cook the gravy until it starts to thicken.  Sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper and continue to cook until your desired thickness.  If it gets too thick, just add a little more milk.

While the gravy is cooking, poach eggs to your desired doneness.  

To assemble this beautiful masterpiece - Cut one biscuit in half.  Top each biscuit half with one sausage patty, then your poached egg.  Spoon the sausage gravy over the poached egg/sausage patty/biscuit tower.  

Enjoy!!

One Year Ago:  Three Cheese Italian Sausage Rosa Pasta Bake and Terrible Pups

Two Years Ago: The First Snow with Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

Three Years Ago:  No Post  

Four Years Ago:  Pluot Crostada (Galette) and Getting Our Fall On

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and the Lodge Room

Six Years Ago:  Spaetzle with Gruyere and Carmelized Onions

Seven Years Ago:  Greek Salsa Chicken and Greek Movie Afternoon

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Dessert and Drywall

I am pleased to announce that the framing of our downstairs build-out is 99.9% complete now!  My husband contractor has been diligently wiring everything we need to power up downstairs.  We also added our surround sound speaker wiring for the full movie weekends and Friday night dance off experience.

Once the final electrical and plumbing is complete, then we will save up for the insulation.  However, we had to take advantage of drywall pricing before the rates shot up again.  This meant having about 100 sheets of drywalled delivered to our house, way before we were ready for it.

It is amazing how far the construction industry has come since I first started in the business.  They now bring the drywall, complete with a crane and remote control.  They literally had each bundle come straight to the front door.  Very cool to watch how they orchestrated the delivery.

We have dear friends in California that I used to work for.  They told me a story once about when they built one of their buildings.  Their story really stuck with me and I will never forget it.

Before the flooring was installed in their new building, every employee wrote on the concrete floor.  They all wrote something special or meaningful, a Prayer, Proverb, or Psalm.  I love how their building was blessed by all of the people that would be there everyday.

Before one box was moved into our home, two years ago, we said a Prayer and gave our new home a Blessing (which we do whenever one of our daughters move into a new place as well).

I remembered our friends' story and also wanted to give our downstairs a special Blessing...Before our insulation and drywall goes up, I found relevant Prayers and wrote them on the headboard walls of each guest bedroom (for our guests to have peaceful sleep) and one in the new dining room, (to Bless our meals).

Of course our superintendent, Kylo Zen is watching over all the drywall and construction progress each day.  In the meantime, I need to keep my husband contractor happy with sweet treats to motivate and energize him for our project.

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or allspice

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed dry

1 tsp honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x9 inch square cake pan.  Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 Tbl flour in a small bowl.  Whisk the remaining flour, the cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.  

Beat the sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil, the eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 3 minutes.  Add the flour-cocoa mixture; beat on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes (the batter will be thick).  Add the zucchini and beat until combined, about 2 more minutes.  fold in the flour-coated chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Make the glaze: Combine the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1 tsp olive oil and the honey in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on medium-high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is melted.  Spread over the cake, then cut into pieces.

Enjoy with a dollop of French vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

One Year Ago: Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Spoopy Season

Two Years Ago:  Home * Sweet * Home

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago:  Pluot Crostada (Galette) and Getting Our Fall On

Five Years Ago:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and the Lodge Room

Six Years Ago:  Spaetzle with Gruyere and Carmelized Onions

Seven Years Ago:  Greek Salsa Chicken and Greek Movie Afternoon

This is what happens when I leave the house for craft night while the cake cools, 

before I had a chance to frost.

Homemade Minestrone Soup and The First Snow

 

We had quite an interesting September.  It was mostly in the 90's all month and unfortunately, very smoky due to the devastating fires.  They did however, make some incredibly photo worthy sights.

One weekend it was 99 degrees with overnight snowstorm in the forecast.  Let me repeat that...99 degrees with snow that night!  You can't make this stuff up.  Only in Colorado!

This time we did listen to the weather channel as we saw the storm hurry in with a vengeance.  We spent the entire Sunday hauling in all the cushions, covering the roses, pulling the remaining vegetables and herbs, turning off sprinklers, empty out the hoses, insulate the gas and water pipes, and hunker down for the night...to wake up to this.

Our dear friend Carole has started purging some of her recipes and sending me an email every Friday, titled "Weekend Recipe".  I look forward to these every week now and cannot wait to make each and every one of these family honored recipes that are so, so good! 

Carole couldn't have picked a better weekend to send me her Minestrone soup recipe for our quick blip of a blizzard.

Homemade Minestrone Soup

Courtesy of Carole

1 cup olive oil

1-1/2 cups diced carrots

1-1/2 cups diced celery

1-1/2 cups diced onion

1 handful sun dried tomatoes

1/4 tsp salt

10-12 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch fresh spinach

2 (16 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 large boxes, chicken stock

2 cans chickpeas

2 cans kidney beans

2 bay leaves

2 c. (pre-cooked) chicken breasts, diced

3 cups pre-cooked macaroni

1 bunch chopped escarole

1 cup fresh basil

Heat olive oil in a large soup pt.  Add carrots, celery, and onions.  Cook 10 minutes.  Add sun dried tomatoes, salt, garlic, and canned tomatoes and mix well.  Add chicken stock, chickpeas, kidney beans.  Add bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Add the diced chicken and macaroni.  Add spinach, chopped escarole, and basil at the end.

Serve with crisp green salad and garlic bread.  

I also added a spoonful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of soup.

One Year Ago:  Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Spoopy Season

Two Years Ago:  Home * Sweet * Home

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago:  Slower Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup and Losing My Mind

Five Years Ago:  Ribdemption and BLT Macaroni Salad

Six Years Ago:  Tee Shirts, Tacos and Ice Cream Cake Treat

Seven Years Ago:  Apple Of My Eye Dumplings

Eat your soup, stay well, healthy and sparkly this week!

Street Corn Quesadilla and Craft Time

Hello everyone, I have missed you all this past month and am happy to be back!  

I actually don't know what happened to September...it was here...and then it wasn't.  I had so many intentions to sit down and blog and the next thing I knew it was "the 21st night of September" (an ode to my favorite Earth, Wind & Fire song).  Seriously though, my month was ridiculously crazy and at that point I just thought...oh well, these have next month written all over it.  

So, that being said, I have a que of great recipes and stories to share this month...buckle up and hold on!

First, let's just set the record straight...Fall is my favorite color!!!  The beautiful oranges, reds, and golden yellow trees right now are breathtaking.  I am loving our cool mornings and warm afternoons as well.  Let us not also forget the decorating!

This year we have family coming to visit for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  I fully intend to Pinterest the heck out of my home this year! (Who am I kidding...I do that for every holiday each year).

Last week my friends and I decided to skip "drunk yoga" and do a fall craft for our homes.  How cute are all these little pumpkins.  We had a blast making them and already are making plans to do pallet snowmen for Christmas!

Last week "Baby A" was doing some new recipes and sent me a photo of her Mexican Street Corn that she absolutely loved.  It looked so good, I thought I would try it out.

Coincidently the same weekend, I was cleaning up the kitchen while Food Network was on and saw Pioneer Woman's "Street Corn Quesadilla".  It also looked amazing.  I wasn't feeling up to masking up and hitting the store for her ingredients, so I improvised with what I already had in the refrigerator and it was a win...win!

Street Corn Quesadilla

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1/8 cup mayonnaise

2 large flour tortillas

1/2 cup guacamole

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

1 cup frozen roasted corn, thawed

1/2 cup crumbled Cojita cheese

salsa, for serving

sour cream, for serving

Place large skillet over medium heat.

Spread half of the mayonnaise on one of the tortillas and place in the hot skillet mayonnaise-side down.

Spread half of the guacamole on tortilla side that is facing up.  Top with half of the Pepper Jack cheese.  Add the corn and Cojita.  Sprinkle over the remaining Pepper Jack cheese.  

Spread the remaining guacamole on other tortilla and place on top of cheese, face down.  Carefully spread the remaining mayonnaise on face-side up of tortilla and press.  Cook until the bottom tortilla is golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip the quesadilla and cook until the second side is golden, and additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into triangles.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Steak Enchilada Soup

Two Years Ago: Home * Sweet * Home

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: Apple, Bacon and Blue Cheese Fall Flatbread

Five Years Ago: Ribdemption and BLT Macaroni Salad

Six Years Ago: Tee Shirts, Tacos and Ice Cream Cake Treat

Seven Years Ago:  Weeknight Ravioli Bake For A Very Special Week

Kylo Zen thought he would try to put his red Kong in the harvest basket, while photobombing!

Yellow and Red Tomato Pico De Gallo and Pictures

Summer continues to heat up here, however I am starting to see a few trees turn their magical leaves that fall golden color...I have very mixed emotions about this...very mixed.

We are needing to use up everything in the garden before we lose it all.  It is an interesting challenge and I have never Googled so many..."what to make with..." fresh veggie/herb recipes in my life!

The fruits of our harvest that desperately needed a home...pico de gallo it is!

Yesterday was the girls' first day of "16th Grade", aka, the start of their University Senior year.  Oh my goodness, I was just putting them in Pre-Pre-K yesterday...

Now that they are both settled in their new places, my husband is back at his city office, and things are quieting down here at home.

I have started making my own blank greeting cards.  My grandma was known for her DIY recycled cards.  Now mine don't even come close to her creations.  However, I love photography and thought these would be fun to make, using my my leftover photo paper and scrapbook pages.  So fun, easy, creative and very relaxing for me.

I hope you enjoy this pico del gallo as much as we did...it's super easy and great blend of flavor!  Stay healthy and keep on sparkling!

Yellow and Red Tomato Pico De Gallo

Courtesy of HealthySeasonalRecipes.com

3 cups diced yellow and red tomatoes

3/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 Tbl minced jalapeno (with seeds to taste)

2 Tbl lime juice

1 tsp salt

Stir tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Serve immediately or chill.

Great to serve as a dip for chips, or top your favorite tacos, salad, or enchiladas!

One Year Ago:  Basil and Black Pepper Brined Chicken and The Lost Kitchen

Two Years Ago: No Post

Three Years Ago:  No-Bake Ombre Blackberry Cheesecakes

Four Years Ago:  Grilled Shrimp, Corn and Avocado Salad...Surviving Roadtrips

Five Years Ago:  Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce...School's In Session

Six Years Ago:  Volleyball Cookies and Lessons in Icings

Seven Years Ago:  Puttanesca Pasta Night