Pumpkin Smoothie

Thanksgiving was everything I thought it would be and boy were we blessed with great weather!  I feel like I didn't see my boys between arriving and departing - they were busy riding the 4-wheeler, hiking the trails, fishing, shooting guns, riding horses, going on hay rides, building forts.... it truly is like heaven on earth for them.  And the clean and pure FREEDOM that they experience there is unlike anything we can do here in the city.  They can run forever, it seems, and they never want to come home. 

Brooke and her beloved Papa - they have a love/love relationship :)

Big bro/little sis

Kids love this tree swing...





Check out Brooke's death grip on Matt's shirt.  She would not look up when she was inside the barn.

 

But minutes later, she mustered up enough courage to sit up on a horse with Papa and Matthew!

The fishing.... Matthew is pictured here but it's Champ and Matt who truly enjoy hours on end of fishing...

Cousins!!!

Hay ride - oh what fun!

Boys riding around like they own the place!

Matt, Brooke and I left Saturday (boys stayed with Mimi and Papa) and got some things done around the house - a little yard work, a little decorating, a little Christmas gift shopping...

Not to give anything away for the 2 sets of eyes that sometimes read this blog... we spotted some really cool stuff while out shopping.  We like to do a combination of needs (clothes, gloves, hats, shoes....) and wants.  There is so much fun stuff out there right now for boys - fun athletic things like punching bags (wouldn't it be nice for the boys to put forth some of their energy on that thing instead of each other?), blow up field goal posts (Learning Express), over the door basketball hoop for indoors (SKLZ at Dick's and Target), a Go-Pro (video camera you can clip onto a bike or surf board and film forward or focus on the rider/surfer  - REI).  If you have any great ideas, send them my way in the 'comments' section of my blog.  Maybe between us moms, we can come up with some creative ideas!

I haven't been cooking a whole lot lately for between Thanksgiving and Brooke having a cold, I either haven't had to cook or cannot due to Brooke's "HOLD ME HOLD ME HOLD ME".  On Monday morning, I quickly browned a chuck roast and threw it in the crock pot with beef broth, rosemary and pepperonchinis (and juice) to make the Drip Beef recipe that I posted a while back.  I let it cook all day and was able to serve my family dinner in spite of the fact that I was holding a sick toddler all day.  I love the crock pot!

I have been enjoying not only my pumpkin spice creamer, but Kellogs Pumpkin Spice Waffles.  They are quite tasty! I put a little natural peanut butter on them and eat one just about every morning.  I would like to make some homemade pumpkin spice waffles this weekend...



And I just made this Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (ala Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman) which was ohhhhhhhh so creamy and deliciously holiday tasting!  Of course, I wanted to make it this morning but realized that I needed FROZEN pumpkin pie filling. So, I ate a waffle for breakfast, like usual, and divided the big can into two containers which went into the freezer for a couple of hours. 

It consists of a simple list of ingredients:  low fat vanilla yogurt, whole milk, pumpkin pie filling and graham crackers & cinnamon.

I halved the recipe, so I used 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2-3/4 cup yogurt and about 8 ounces of frozen pumpkin pie filling.  I blended it up:

Doesn't that look so creamy and delicious already?  Then, I crushed some cinnamon graham crackers (we used to have these in our pantry growing up - so yummy!).

I sprinkled these on top along with some cinnamon - and whala!  It was amazing!  It was VERY filling.  In fact, I'm writing right now having just enjoyed it and I'm really full.  Click here for the recipe. She notes at the bottom of the recipe that you can make a low fat version by using low fat yogurt (which I did already) and plain pumpkin puree... I enjoyed the full fat version and it really satisfies.  If you are a smothie person and plan on making them again and again, I would suggest going low fat.  Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I only have a few minutes before we head to the farm.  I've told you many times how much I cherish my early morning runs - for a multitude of reasons.  Sometimes I run with friends and it's great to catch up and bounce things off of each other - related to parenting, friends, Christmas gifts or whatever is on your mind.... (miss you, Debbie!).  And on my solo runs, it's nice to spend some time in prayer - I have found that it's a wonderful time for prayer - sometimes I end up praying for 30-40 minutes.  I had a run like that this morning where I was talking to God - thanking Him for His many blessings to me and my family - praying for all sorts of different people.... it was really nice.  I highly recommend it!

The morning is the time of day I most cherish.  I have found that I depend on it - for quiet time, to get some things done, to clear my head, to enjoy my first sips of hot coffee.... Anyway, my boys are already bustling around the house in anticipation of getting to the farm, so my quiet morning time - today, anyway - is no more. 

My contribution to the Thanksgiving meal this year?  Well, we did our annual drive through at Popeye's Chicken for the Cajun Fried Turkey.  I picked up a giant container of green beans (I think it must be about 10 pounds - it serves 24).  I'll doctor those up with some chicken broth, parsley, oregano, thyme and a little butter and let them cook all day.  I'm also making an artichoke dip and sausage cheese balls for an appetizer.  (talk about needing a run!)

<Trying to insert picture but I'm having technical difficulties>

My favorite thing to do with leftover turkey is put it on a salad with excellent salad dressing.  We had a potluck lunch last week at work (so fun!) and a co-worker (male coworker, actually, which makes it all the more impressive!  Not sure Matt could whip up a salad dressing if his life depended on it.  Love you, toots) made the most wonderful salad.  It consisted of mixed greens, pecans, thinly sliced celery, creamy blue cheese and thinly sliced apple. And the mustard dressing made it all come together so nicely.  I went back for that salad 3 times and yes, I felt guilty about eating the majority of it, but it was soo good. 

<Trying to insert picture but I'm having technical difficulties>

Turns out, the dressing is from Ina Garten, whom I have grown to just love.  At first, I thought she was a little flat and on the boring side, but I have really come to enjoy her calm demeanor and her recipes are great! 

Click here for the salad dressing recipe. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  Hoping to get the picture issue resolved here shortly as I know I'll have many to share with you when I return!

Let's Be Thankful!

I did it!!  I ordered my Christmas card a few days ago and received it today!!  Whew... that took some time, patience, a little bribing, and several hours picking out just the right card.  you busy moms, busy career people, busy grand moms understand the feeling of taking the picture, picking out a card you like, making sure the picture works with the card you like, ordering and bam - you're done!  I ordered from Tiny Prints this year and saved over $50.00 because they're having a sale right now.  Woo hoo!  I want to shout it from the rooftops.

Thanksgiving - a time for giving thanks....I love this holiday.  We spend it up at the farm and it's truly like something you see in a movie - kids frolicking everywhere, laughter coming from every which way, the smell of hot spiced tea coming from the kitchen, horses, roosters, dogs, falling leaves, barns, stables, tractors, 4 wheelers... I just love it and look forward to our 3 day get-away every year!  Play hard - sleep well....Now THAT is the perfect recipe, isn't it?

Anyway, I inherited my dad's emotional palate, so to say.  I constantly get choked up - over happy things, sad things - doesn't matter - it all resonates with me and I FEEL some sort of emotion about everything.  Right now, this season, I am filled with the desire to let my loved ones know how thankful I am for them.  When is the last time you hand wrote a note to tell your mom or your cousin or your sister how much you love them?  I know it has been a while for me.  Then something comes along like a death or some sort of near death accident or something like that, that makes you wish you had said what was on your heart before it was too late.  I'm here to ask - Why wait?

My goal for the next week is to write 3 notes a day for 5 days and send them out in US Mail.  In this day and age of computers and email, Facebook, Twitter, etc., we rarely write anything by hand anymore... how nice will it be for your loved ones to open their mailbox to find a letter from you - and perhaps a hand drawn picture from your kids...

Are you with me?  Ready, set, write!

Snacks and Such

I had a lovely trip to Trader Joe's last week with my friend, Chris.  Errands are so much more fun when you go with friends! 

I needed to get some good healthy snacks as we seem to go through them at warp speed these days.  Two hungry growing boys and a toddler = a lot of SNACKS.  In fact, Brooke asks for snacks no less than 57 times a day.  When we sit down for dinner, she'll ask me for a snack.  So, I kindly fill a small bowl with steamed broccoli and hand her that "snack" - she gobbles it up and says, "more snack, please!"

I bought a bag of chips today and was so pleased with how they tasted.  You know when you look at something in the store and it looks like it would taste really good - then you get it home and try it and it's nasty?  This was not one of those foods.  These chips are so yummy!

 

 

They are made with lentil powder which gives these chips a little dose of fiber.  They taste like really good chips!  Try them - they are amazing!  I put them in Champ's lunchbox and he thought they were great!  And Brooke loves eating these "kips", too.

 

And check out these cute little "pumpkin trees!"  I saw them right as I walked into Trader Joe's!  I'm not sure how long they'll be around, but if you are entertaining this month, buy a few bunches to decorate your table!  They are so pretty and interesting and they'll make a good conversation piece because everyone will be talking about them!

 

 

I also bought Pumpkin Bread mix and baked it on Monday for a nice and warm afternoon snack.  Everyone gobbled it up!  In fact, it was so good (I thought), that a cute little bread loaf pan coupled with this mix would make a great hostess gift for the holidays! 

 

 

There is a recipe on the side of the box for a glaze that you can put on top of the baked bread, and it is wonderful!! Makes a great snack, a great breakfast....

 

My kids love these little fruit leathers - at 49 cents a pop, they are inexpensive and made of all fruit!  I grab a few of these and keep them in my car...Have you ever had those mornings when you're making lunch for your kids and you realize that you have no fruit?  In my case lately, I feel like I've run out of bread or cheese or lunch meat or fruit... a little too often.  I've been putting too much energy into finishing up my Christmas shopping and not enough into taking inventory, making good grocery lists, and doing big grocery shopping trips.  That said, these fruit leathers are something I typically always have in my cabinet and when I don't have fresh fruit, I toss a few of these into the lunchbox!

 



 

 

And for something a little fun for the kids - I picked up some holiday Oreo's.  They make me smile - not to mention they are one tasty treat.  My goodness... as a kid, I would down these things a half dozen in a sitting.  Mmm mmm.  I have a feeling that our kids might wake up one morning to find Lewis, our elf, enjoying some of these with a glass half full of milk :).  It's just a hunch I have.

 



Fa La La and Cheese "Straws"

Take a look at the places I have found empty little candy wrappers:

Outside in the grass
Under my desk
In the kitchen sink
In between the sofa cushions
On the trampoline
In the shower

Occasionally, I've found them in my own hands (and the candy in my own mouth).

:)  I've just quietly picked them up and disposed of them, fighting the urge to nag my kids about it.  I have thrown a few, "Now kids, you do know that the trash can is the proper spot for your empty candy wrappers, right?"  Champ came home with about 20 pounds of candy, so I think that I'm going to help myself to about a pound or two at a time and give it away until slowly, slowly... it's all gone.

Right now, I am sitting here at my desk listening to.... oh yes, CHRISTMAS music and I am filled with the spirit, folks - the spirit of Christmas!!  I flipped to my Comcast channel, the Sounds of the Seasons (channel number 933), in hopes that I would hear holiday music, and I was not disappointed today.  I love it so much as it makes me really really happy to my core.  In fact, I think when I get older, much older, when being a little quirky is just par for the course, I'm going to invest in a Mrs. Clause costume and wear it during the holiday season - in part to delight others and in part to humor myself.  My true dream is to buy a little shiny red VW bug and have "Mrs. Clause" written on the back of it in white... and I'll tootle around town buying and wrapping gifts for those who hire me - oh, I would LOVE it!  Just give me a list and a little leeway to be creative and I'll take care of all your holiday shopping needs...

Okay, back to reality.

I made some cheese medallions on Friday - think cheese straws but in a circular shape instead of a "straw shape."  I love these and have never tried to make my own.  They were easy and oh so delicious!  Not only will I serve these as an appetizer throughout the holiday season (& beyond), but I may even wrap them up and give them to neighbors and friends for Christmas!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Freshly grate 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar cheese.

Combine the shredded cheese with butter, flour, salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper until incorporated into dough.  I had to add a few TBS of water, a little at a time, to help the dough come together. 

Take the big ball of dough and lay it on a piece of wax paper.  Roll it out into a 16 inch log, wrap it up and stick it in the freezer for half an hour (this will make it much easier to slice it).

Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick rounds.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  If you want to, sprinkle a little paprika (for looks) on the top.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

 

 

Let them cool completely before covering and storing.  I served mine with a little dollop of jelly and I thought - gosh, how beautiful would these be on a platter with a dollop of jelly - green or red or both -on each of them for the holidays? 

 

The savory little cheese medallion with the sweet jelly on top was the yummiest and easiest little thing to eat.  I couldn't resist so I didn't stop at one...  

Click here for this super simple recipe (thank you, Sally!!). 

I found these little Christmas tins at Michael's over the weekend, and you can fill them about 10-12 high with these cheese medallions.  Paired with a nice jar of jelly, wouldn't this make a nice holiday gift for your neighbors and friends? 

You can wrap it up (tin on the bottom, jelly on the top) with clear cellophane and tie it up with a big red or green bow.  What's nice is that it's just a taste of something really good - you could even attach the recipe.

Of course, you'll want to purchase an unopened jar of jelly - this half enjoyed jar of jelly was just to provide you with a visual. 

Enjoy!!!!

 

My Mom and Meatballs

I love Fridays!  They are the delivery of the promise that the weekend is here.  Excitement that the week has come to end - the hope of finding a few hours to do something for yourself... freedom... I just love them!  Brooke and I went to the mall.  Oh, the mall... I grew up going to the mall. I think I spent every second I could at the mall.  As a middle schooler, I would walk around with my friends - we would go to the candy store and load up on candy and just walk around for hours.  Then as I started earning allowance money, I would take it and spend it all at the mall - on junk, I'm sure, though I can't remember.  When I got my first Summer job, trips to the mall became more of an errand - I was usually shopping for something specific - then slowly slowly over the years, my trips to the mall have become few and far between. 

I usually hit up other stores to look for things I need/want - for one, stand alone stores are faster to get in and out of. But... let me just say that Brooke and I love the mall!  There is so much to see!  And so much to buy!  And today, I saw so many sales!!  Check out my new fancy shoes!

It was wonderful!  My mom met us at the mall and walking around with her today filled me with the same feeling I had as a child when she would take me to the mall.  Not only was I filled with excitement and hope that she would buy something for me, but bigger than that, I just loved being with her.  She's so easy to be around - so sweet, so pretty inside and out, and so filled with love and acceptance.  I treasured being with her today - even though we were there for such a short time - I just love my mom so much.  I've told her before...I wish I could shrink her down to the size of a pencil and let her perch on my shoulder all day long - just having her near makes me feel complete somehow.  Does that make sense?  Those of you who are close with your moms understand what I'm saying... I hope!

Speaking of my dear mom... she came over on Wednesday morning and played with Brooke which gave me an hour to focus on cooking Giada's meatballs.  She looked after Brooke while I assembled these meaty little balls of goodness!  This is a super simple and really easy recipe that tastes like you've been slaving away all day.  They freeze incredibly well and if you don't have time to make your own marinara sauce, just pour a bottle of your favorite sauce over them.  I would serve these for company in a heartbeat.  In fact, I may make these for the annual Christmas dinner I enjoy with my high school girlfriends.  They are that good!

What makes these so tasty?  They are made with a combination of veal, pork and beef (sorry, my vegan friends).  So, here's the HOW:

First, I toasted 2 white pieces of bread (to simulate stale bread).  Then I tore the toast into small pieces and combined them with milk, breaking the bread up with the spoon as I stirred it all together.

In a large bowl, throw in your veal, pork and beef - then add Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, grated onion, garlic and egg. 

Mix until combined (I used my hands). 

Then it's time to make little balls, careful not to pack them too tightly.  I made them, put them on a cookie sheet and refrigerated them for an hour (you can refrigerate, per the recipe, for up to 24 hours) . Refrigerating them makes them easier to handle when you cook them.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Add the meatballs and cook, turning them occasionally, until they are well browned on all sides.  Here you can see that I had three skillets going at once - it's all about saving time.

 

Your house will truly smell like a small Italian restaurant at this point.  You won't be able to resist trying one, so go ahead and treat yourself!

When they are all cooked and after you have drained them a bit and cleaned out your oily skillet, pour in your favorite marinara sauce (can be home-made or store bought - whatever your preference) and add your meatballs.  Let them simmer as long as you like! 

They are delicious!!! 

Click here for the recipe!  I doubled the recipe (it'll take a tiny bit of extra time to double it and you'll be so happy that you did!) and while I'd love to say that we ate half and we froze half, well... that didn't quite happen.  I walked out of the room for a matter of seconds and when I came back in, Sandy, our beloved yellow lab, was helping herself to a portion of them.  I would suggest that you double the recipe and freeze half of the meatballs (and don't leave your large dog unattended as she, like you, won't be able to resist!)

Enjoy this savory Italian meal one night this cold Winter!  (Meteorologists say that we're in for quite an Arctic winter.  Stay tuned....)