Bows, Grass and Pumpkin Chili

It's been awhile since I've linked up over at lowercase letters for Miscellany Monday, so I thought I would today!

1. I am really excited about these adorable hair clips I made for our sweet little girl!

I think the pinwheel might be my favorite one. Click here for instructions, it was really easy! Have I mentioned how happy I am we are having a girl? 

2. Grass Update: It's official we have grass growing in our backyard! I know I know, such exciting news but it's great to have homeowner success like that and such an improvement. 

3. Happy October! I can't believe it's already October and the month before my baby is due! I made pumpkin chili AND pumpkin bread for dinner last night. Probably my favorite fall recipe.

The recipe calls for ground beef but I use ground turkey because you can't really taste a difference. Here is the recipe, you should try it!

4. Soon I'll start going to the doctor every week. It seems I already go a lot, but it's funny how it just becomes apart of your life. All the nurses and receptionists know me in the office now, which I assume they do all the pregnant women who are as far along as me. I'm just glad I have good health insurance or it would be so expensive. 

Our Day in Seattle

We woke up Monday morning ready to explore Seattle. First we walked across the street to check out the Seattle Public Library.

I really wanted to see this building, not only because it's a great piece of modern architecture and I love modern architecture, but because it was designed by Rem Koolhas, who was the first architect I studied in design school.

This was by far the neatest library I've ever been in. I would love to spend a day just reading here.

Afterwards we walked a few blocks down to Pike Place Market. This was my favorite part of Seattle. It was such a cute and fun farmer's market, and there was so much fresh food everywhere!

Seriously, anything you could have wanted to eat was there. From fresh veggies and fruit to pastries and cheese. We had such a great time walking around and checking all the cute booths and stores out, including the first Starbucks.

My favorite lunch of the week was here. I ate Beecher's famous macaroni and cheese. You can find the recipe here, seriously it is so good! We got our lunch and ate it at a cute little park nearby.

And I got a coke in a glass bottle, enjoyed this view, I was in heaven!

The weather was really nice that day. It was sunny, in the 60s and no rain, perfect for just walking around.

After Pike Place Market we took the monorail over to the Space Needle.

We didn't go up, but just walked all around and checked out all the neat buildings and fountains.

This really cool building, Experience Music Project, was nearby and I loved the wavyness to it. After almost 6 hours of walking and exploring we were ready to take a break, so we headed back to the hotel. We didn't have any dinner plans so we just ordered in and relaxed. Overall we had a great day in Seattle, it's such a fun city!

Winter Days plus Macaroni and Cheese

These winter days are starting to become better as it stays lighter a little bit longer. And Spring Break doesn't seem as far away as it did a couple weeks ago. Winter is almost over! I know we still have over a month left, but honestly I am ready for Spring!

I've been trying to enjoy the last of these Winter days though.

We got a sudden snow storm today, which was really fun. Although we were driving home from the mall, but once we got home I snapped these pictures.

I also made this homemade macaroni and cheese the other night. It was so good, and perfect for a cold winter night.

These are the little things that I am loving about wintertime.

Sometimes.....

Sometimes the perfect Saturday is..............

Enjoying one last training run with your team.

Dinner at home with hubby, thanks to pinterest.

A Redbox DVD.

Miscellany Monday

I'm linking up over at lowercase letters for another Miscellany Monday post!

1. Clarke was at the beach with his family this past weekend, he comes back Tuesday night. I really miss him. I couldn't get off work (since school just started) so I spent the weekend here, it's been weird not having him here.

2. Marathon training team was really good on Saturday morning. Got a great picture:

Angela, Jody, Susan, Me, Patrick and Elise after 10 miles. :)

3. I made oatmeal pumpkin cookies on Saturday for a women's event at my church. One of my favorite fall desserts!

Click here for the recipe!!

I know this got up so late, I'll post about why tomorrow when I have more time!

Fourth of July Food

So I mentioned in my last post that I attended a bunch of parties/cookouts this past holiday weekend. I made two different dishes to bring to two different cookouts. Thought I would share because both of them turned out great, and one is a favorite classic of mine!

Sunday I made deviled eggs for our neighborhood cookout. This is a recipe of my mom's that I have always loved. I've made it so many times that I don't even measure the ingredients anymore.

But here is the recipe:

6 hard boiled eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp pepper

3 tbs mayo (but sometimes I add more)

To boil the eggs place in cold water with 1 inch above, bring to boil, let sit 10 minutes covered on low, then place directly into cold water. They say the cold water helps them to peel easier. After cutting in half and adding ingredients to egg yolks, fill whites with mixture. I lastly sprinkle paprika on top, and they are so good!

Monday I made this really fun cake to bring to another cookout. It was suppose to be red, but I couldn't get the red food coloring to work, so it was pink. It still tasted good though.

Click here for the recipe, it was actually pretty easy to make.

Mom's Famous Caesar Salad

I recently realized that I have never shared my mom's famous caesar salad recipe! Growing up this was a staple in my house. And still to this day when my mom has us over for dinner, she always has to make this salad, it's so good.

Mom's Famous Caesar Salad:

serves 6 (but me and hubby will eat the whole thing by ourselves!)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbs lemon juice

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

dash of salt and pepper

mix and let sit 1 hr (if I don't have time I just let it sit as long as possible to let the flavors mix well)

add:

1/4 tsp dry mustard (I prefer Coleman's)

1 tsp worcestshire sauce

stir with fork, add torn pieces of romaine lettuce

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

croutons (I prefer garlic and onion)

toss well until coated

Okay, so here is the part that freaks some people out. Add one raw beaten egg. This never bothered me, I grew up eating this salad, so it was just normal. But I promise, if you mix the salad well it tastes really good. Just try it!

You can add some more parmesan cheese to the top, serve immediately and enjoy!!

The Pumpkin Pie Secret

Yesterday morning I made two pumpkin pies. Yum! My mom always uses the recipe on the back of Libby's Pumpkin. So I do the same. But, there is one little change that I think makes a big difference.

The recipe calls for 12oz of evaporated milk, instead my mom always uses 12oz of half and half. It makes it so much more creamier and better.

Try it, you won't regret using the half and half instead! Can't wait for more pumpkin pie tonight.

Pumpkin Cookies plus New Friends

This past weekend I went to the outlets with the teacher I work with everyday. It was so fun to hang out outside of the classroom and get to know her better. I can also say I have offically started my Christmas shopping.

Sunday after church I made the most delicious pumpkin cookies for our neighborhood cookout.

I was so glad everyone enjoyed them! Here is the recipe: Pumpkin Cookies.

I also have to say that it's a small world. At the cookout I realized that one of my sorority sisters from college lives a couple houses down from me! It was also great to meet the rest of our neighbors that we haven't had the chance to meet yet.

So that was my weekend, filled with pumpkin cookies and new friends!

The Best Green Bean Recipe Ever

I made this as a side for dinner last night. Got this recipe from my mom (where I get most of my great recipes) and I think it's the best green bean recipe ever. It's really easy to make, so here it is!

Dill Green Beans:

~1 14oz bag of green beans

~1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

~ 3 tbs butter

~ 2 tsp dijon mustard

~ 1/4 tsp onion salt

~ 1/2 tsp dill

~ 1/4 tsp pepper

Cook green beans.

In small sauce pan combine ingredients and cook over low heat 5 minutes.

Combine green beans and sauce. Toss well to coat.

That's it, I told you it was easy!

Pumpkin Love

So October is here and fall is in full swing. That means one thing when it comes to food.....Pumpkin!! And halloween candy soon, but it's not as healthy for you, so I can't justify dedicating a whole post to it. But I digress, back to pumpkin, I love it.

I made pumpkin chili last week, here is the recipe: Pumpkin Chili.

It was so good. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef to make it a little healthier.

I am really looking forward to making some pumpkin pies soon! Okay, that is about all I have to say about pumpkin. Stay tuned for a post about pumpkin pie, I have a secret that my mom gave me and it makes the pies so creamy and extra yummy (if that is possible).

Childhood Recipe

Tonight I made a new dish for dinner. I am always weary about trying new recipes, as I don't know how they will turn out. This one, like most, I got from my mom, so I figured it had to be good.

I was right! As I ate this dish all of my memories of eating it as a child came back. Do you ever do that, or is it just me? Certain foods remind me of certain times in my life. This dish reminds me of eating dinner with my family at the kitchen table after a long day at school and practice.

So here it is, I usually am not a big casserole person but this one is so good!

Mom's Chicken Tetragzini:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 tsp sherry

7oz spaghetti noddles, cooked

2 cups cubed chicken, cooked

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

-Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.

-Blend flour and seasonings.

-Stir in broth and cream.

-Heat to boiling, stirring, stir in sherry, chicken and noddles.

-Pour into ungreased casserole dish.

-Sprinkle cheese on top.

-Bake uncovered for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

- Enjoy!!

The Christmas Spritz

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is baking spritz cookies with my mom. It was never really Christmas to me until I ate one of them. They are pretty easy to make, and I just made a batch today.

I love how they are so colorful! Here is the recipe below:

Christmas Spritz Cookies:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in remaining ingredients. Divide dough into desired parts; add food coloring and blend till reaching desired color. Fill cookie press with 1/4 of dough at a time; form desired shapes on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6 minutes or until set but not brown.
 
Enjoy! For more great christmas recipes visit: Kelly's Korner.

Thanksgiving Recipe

My mom makes the best sweet potato casserole ever. It's not your traditional kind, its full of sugar and butter and its so yummy. I made it for the first time tonight for our church's Thanksgiving service. I was so happy when it turned out good, you never know when you make it yourself. Here it is right after it came out of the oven:

This dish is a tradition in my family. Me and my brothers always look forward to the sweet potato casserole. I thought I would share the recipe since it's such a big deal in my family.

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (I use the canned)

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix all together and pour into greased pan.

For the topping:

1 cup chopped pecan nuts (this is optional, I don't put the nuts on top, but some like them)

1/3 cup self-rising flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix together and sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!