Someone Else's Genius

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

2013-02-05T00:46:00.000-07:00

Hello beautiful people!

I have a quick and easy anytime meal or snack that can be tailored to suit the most picky palate. I made these for our Super Bowl party and they were a huge hit!

If you decide to follow this recipe exactly, I want you to know that the smell was spicy than the taste. If you go with a milder or hotter version, you're on your own!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

Don't they look scrumptious? Here's the rundown:

You'll need:

3 lbs frozen chicken wings (I used wing drumettes - they were almost $4 cheaper - use either one; even boneless tenders would work)
2 12oz bottles Frank's Buffalo sauce
3 tbsps butter

That's it! Simple enough so far.

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spread chicken out over foil-lined baking sheet. Set in preheated oven to brown for 30 minutes.
Pour both bottles of buffalo sauce (or 24 oz of your preferred wing sauce) and butter into slow cooker (big enough to hold all the chicken).
When wings are done in the oven, transfer them into slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce.
You can set your slow cooker on low for 4-4 1/2 hors or high for 2-2 1/2 hours.

Once done, serve immediately with ranch and/ or bleu cheese dipping sauce; they will also keep in the slow cooker another 2 hours or so on the warm setting.

Enjoy!

Quinoa with Kale and Pomegranate

2013-01-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, y'all. We are trying something new here. I've posted from my phone with limited success, but I may have better luck on my Nook. So here we go.

Well! Would you look at that. I can upload my phone pictures wirelessly! I'm so happy right now!

Now, about this recipe.

Quinoa with Honey Garlic Citrus Dressing
(topped with Pomegranate and Steamed Kale)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth (you can use other broth types or just water)
1/2 - 1 cup kale, steamed
pomegranate, to taste

For the dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (or preferred citrus)
salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Cook the quinoa according to package directions, using broth in place of water, if you choose. Should take about 15 minutes total for it to finish. When it is tender and has a slight white spiral effect on the grain, it's done!

When the quinoa is close to being done, chop and rinse your kale, then toss it into a steamer for 5 minutes or so. Don't have a steamer or steam basket? I used a fine wire sieve that sets perfectly on my medium saucepan. Add a little water and cover.

As for the pomegranate, it was the first time I've seeded one. I used the water and bowl method. Basically, you cut an X on the top and place your hands and pomegranate in a large bowl of warm water. The warm water is more for the sake of your hands than anything! Carefully peel away the shell and thin membranes inside. The membranes will float and the yummy seeds should sink.

Now, toss the quinoa and kale with the dressing (which you basically just whip up in a small container). Add as much or as little pomegranate seeds as desired.

In the photo, this was served with a crusty roll. So yummy!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal from our Elf

2012-12-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

This morning our elf put my sleep-addled mind to the test. Instead of leaving instructions, or a ready made meal, like the Overnight French Toast, he was found in a measuring cup, holding an apple, next to a bag of oatmeal!

So I worked out a quick solution:

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

Here's what I did:

I peeled 3 medium/large Red Delicious apples and sliced them fairly thin.

In a medium bowl, combine a 1/2 brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.

Toss apple slices in sugar n spice.

In a high-sided skillet, combine apples with 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp butter.

Cook on medium heat until apples are tender, about 8-10 minutes

Meanwhile, I cooked the oatmeal on the stovetop according to package directions; usually this means a 2:1 ratio of water to oats.. Cook to desired consistency, between 10-20 minutes.

Combine the apples and oatmeal, stir and serve hot!

Charlie makes Refrigerator Oatmeal

2012-12-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Did you see what Charlie did? He made Pumpkin Pie Refrigerator Oatmeal for us to eat for breakfast! Isn't he sweet?

For the oatmeal, you'll need:
As many pint-sized mason jars as you'll need servings

Per jar (you can double the recipe if needed. It'll fit):
1/4 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used vanilla/honey flavor)
A couple shakes of pumpkin pie spice, to taste
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 cup pumpkin purée

Combine all ingredients in the jar, put a lid on and shake until it's cohesive. Set in fridge with lid on overnight. Enjoy chilled in the morning or it can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This recipe was only slightly adapted from The Yummy Life (www.theyummylife.com/recipes/261/Pumpkin+Pie+Refrigerator+Oatmeal/)

Join me!

2012-11-30T14:58:00.001-07:00

I'm hoping this finds its way to you. For those who are not yet Facebook or Twitter followers, I urge you to become one. My computer crashed yesterday after I posted, so I may not be able to continue posting as normal. I'm actually typing this from my iPhone, which isn't ideal!

So, for you browsers, new visitors or constant readers, please follow along on Facebook or Twitter... or I'm also on Instagram (@kitchenventures). That way you can keep up with all the holiday fun until my computer is fixed!

If this post works, I may try and update every so often, but no guarantees. Thanks to all of you who have joined me on this journey. You keep me going, even when things go wrong!

I have updated all social medias with the latest from Charlie, our Elf.

Be Good, Charlie

2012-11-29T14:46:00.002-07:00

Last night, as the kiddos were headed off to bed, Big Z was quickly feeding Tai Lee (his ferret). When finished, he calls out: "Be good, Charlie!", so I say "He probably thinking the same about you".

Last night's Elf charade was supposed to be something different, but with those parting words from my 10 year old, plans were rethought.

Apparently Charlie has a sense of humor to go with his impish side. I'll tell you, though... tic-tacs aren't the best medium for spelling out words. One little bump, they all roll.

According to the kiddos reactions this morning our cat didn't bump it in the night, but by the time I came down the words had been destroyed. Plus Charlie had called out Z specifically (I didn't show that here, for privacy reasons).

Once again, however, he laid claim to my candy canes. On top of that, he sat in my candy bowl, making it nearly impossible to grab some chocolate minty goodness from under him.

This was inspired by this site (here).

The Candy Cane Thief

2012-11-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you need to know one thing about me during the Christmas season, I think you should know that I am a Candy Cane Fanatic. I love anything and everything candy cane and peppermint! On our last trip to the grocer, we bought 10 boxes (at 12 a piece - that makes 120!) of those beautiful red and white-striped pulled sugar canes.

So far I had only opened one box (showing rarely shown restraint). I think my hesitation this year is that we bought Spangler brand when we usually get Bob's. For those of you who are of the "candy canes are candy canes" variety (like my husband), all candy canes are NOT created equal. Sorry, Spangler, but Bob's wins the candy cane showdown, hands down.

Stepping off my soap box, I'll get to the point. Charlie took it upon himself to take what was left of the first box - I counted 8 canes - and absconded to the window sill with the shades drawn.

I know he looks all sweet and innocent, but there's a little imp behind those elfish charms.

This idea came to me from Jessica R. (here), but the above picture is mine.

Charlie Makes Amends: Peppermint Jingle Bars

2012-11-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

You know how I said I hoped the kids didn't find Charlie this morning, so he could make a treat? Yeah... that didn't happen. They were up, dressed and on the hunt before I was even coherent!

Good thing Charlie was prepared. He was sitting on top of the flour canister with the ingredients for his treats nearby. Then Mom and The Big Man went on errands this morning, so Charlie made his treats while we were gone... even did the dishes!

As for his treat, the plan was to make Jingle Bell Balls from Peter Pan peanut butter (here). But as we all know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions... which doesn't have any real bearing on this in particular, but I had to put a cliché in here somewhere. The real story is that I looked for Christmas M&M minis - even regular ones - and couldn't find any, but I chanced on these yummy mint ones.

If you've already seen or made this recipe, either this year or in previous ones, or deduced that, because it's from Peter Pan, it involves peanut butter and then realized that I did indeed say mint M&Ms... well, no fear. I tested a couple Ms in PB before making them... and I still made them.

Oh! I'm sorry... Charlie made them. I forgot! Here's "Charlie's" recipe:

Peppermint Jingle Bars

3 1/2 cups rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
1 9.9 oz bag M&Ms Mint Holiday edition
1 10.5 oz bag mini marshmallows
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
a dash of salt

In a large bowl, mix together cereal and M&Ms. Set aside.
In a medium/large saucepan, combine marshmallows, butter, peanut butter and salt on medium heat. Stir consistently until all melted and smooth.
Add marshmallow mix to cereal and toss to cover.
On a sheet of wax paper, spread out mixture evenly. Allow to set and serve!

I, for one, am glad that Double-Oh 17 is starting to be a nice little spy. His first few days had me thinking this:

Now, to get some laundry done! Have a great day everyone... and don't forget to share me with your friends!

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Charlie Apologizes

2012-11-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

I guess Elf Jail did what it was supposed to. This morning I woke up to a decorated bathroom - this time, without all the graffiti!

I never expected to be one of those people - the ones who decorate the bathroom for Christmas, but when I saw this set at K-Mart last year, I had to have it. Too cute!

We have our box of decorations out, in order to decorate a little at a time. Last night, Double-Oh 17 managed to get into the box and pull out the bathroom decor. He then tip-toed into our tiny water closet and proceeded to do what I had thus far failed to do.

Isn't it adorable? Nothing says Christmas is nigh than Frosty's face on the lid of the john. (Go ahead and laugh... I just did!) Now I don't have to take the whole 2 minutes it would have taken to decorate. Thank you, Charlie!

Charlie goes to Elf Jail

2012-11-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a little awkward... due to the conditions set forth by Mr. Ho Ho Ho himself, we couldn't move Charlie out of the bathroom. Luckily, he was kind enough to avert his eyes.

Apparently we weren't the only ones concerned about Double-Oh 17's aberrant behavior. Santa sent him back to us and we found him like this:

Believe it or not, the kids didn't find him this morning... they looked "everywhere", even the cupboards... so I had to help in the search and sure enough, there he was, stuck in the Coke glass. Good thing, too. Even elves in Elf Jail should get visitors.

I kind of feel bad for the little guy, but hopefully by tomorrow he'll have learned his lesson about writing on the mirrors!

This idea was brought to me by Flickr (here), but the photo above is my own.

Sunday Social: All About Fours

2012-11-25T01:56:00.000-07:00

1. Four jobs you've had in your life.

A department store customer service counter at Christmas time. I learned how to wrap presents really well (it's a lost art). It was my first job ever! I also worked at McDonald's, Lofthouse Foods Inc. and Wal-Mart/Sam's Club (both).

(picture from Learn 2 [use the] Kitchen: here)

2. Four movies you would watch over and over.

Only four? I really should go by category! Okay... I'll try and narrow it down: Legally Blonde is the most viewed movie on my iPod, so there's one. Easy A, for sure - even my kids can quote that movie! Grandma's Boy and Super Troopers would tie for a spot. Oh! And any of the Harry Potter movies. Technically that's more than four, but hey, I love me some movies!

3. Four places you've lived.

Colorado Springs, CO; University Place, WA (that's near Tacoma, y'all); Mt. Pleasant, UT (if you blink, you miss it); and my current location: Clearfield, UT.

4. Four favorite foods.

Bleu Cheese Pasta n Flank Steak (my Mama made this every year for my birthday - it's my all-time favorite anything!); my Pumpkin Doughnuts (here); Snickers bars that have been in the fridge, never the ice cream (just to be specific); I love anything and everything candy cane related... I wait all year to stock up.

(picture via The Sweetest Temptations: here)

5. Four things you always carry with you.

My iPhone, my purse, a book (or my Nook) and my heart on my sleeve.

6. Four places you've been on vacation.

Gosh... it's been awhile since I've been on a real vacation. With three kids, bedtime is its own vacation!

I've been to Hawaii at Christmas time (and was scarred for life - cane spiders. *shudder*); San Antonio, Texas in August (Six Flags - almost killed me); a cute little lakeside town called Pentwater, Michigan; Disneyland - I know I've been, but unfortunately I don't remember much.

That's it for this week! Now y'all know more about me (probably more than you wanted, but hey, it's all fun)!

Charlie is a Naughty Elf

2012-11-24T16:21:00.001-07:00

This morning was another fun hunt for Double-Oh 17... but he got caught being naughty. I hope this doesn't become a daily thing or we might have to ask for a new helper!

Graffiti! Can you believe it? On our bathroom mirror! The audacity! He says he's going to "Deck Our Halls"... *sigh* I hope he's nicer tomorrow.

Oh Charlie. Caught red-handed.

(This idea was found via Flickr, photos here are mine)

Charlie the Spy (aka: Double-Oh 17) Arrives... Almost

2012-11-23T19:48:00.001-07:00

I think the reason I was not into Thanksgiving this year is because I couldn't wait to start The Elf on the Shelf tradition! My kids are a little older than most of the ones I've seen in participants blog pics, so it's going to take some real ingenuity on my part to make him believable.

I knew that Charlie should arrive in style, especially since the kids had seen him before his arrival date. Which was my fault... I was so excited I had to show him off. To help with the ruse, Charlie "disappeared" a few nights ago, so last night, when we pulled out the book, he had magically left the box. The kids wanted to look for him right then! I said "Maybe the book can explain why he's gone".

With the book read and the rules understood, it was quick to bed for the kiddos, excited to begin the search early!

Here's where Double-Oh 17 ended up (he must new to the spy game):

While working his magic to enter the house, he got stuck in the window because it was locked! Princess C found him and quickly ran to get me to save him from the cold. All three were very good not to touch him and I explained that I only get to touch him this once because he needed help (and I didn't want the window to be open all day).

Santa's little spy has come to stay and we can't wait to see what he gets into. I hope everyone had a safe and fruitful Black Friday, with minimal damage and maximum savings!

Steak and Potatoes: Crescent Style

2012-11-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

Just in the nick of time! My light was fading and I was frantically taking pictures, hoping against hope that some of them would turn out. I was rewarded with 3 relatively good ones!

I know this looks exactly like the Chicken Crescent Rolls and, in essence, they are... almost. These have a few distinct differences. First, I didn't use chicken. Second, I didn't use cream of chicken soup. And I was out of mayo. (insert sad face here)

2 8 oz cans crescent rolls
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of potato soup, undiluted
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (for the sauce)
1/2 cup half and half or whipping cream (not heavy) - I used a half and half substitute of 4 1/2 tbsp butter + whole milk = 1 cup

Filling

4 oz cream cheese, chive and onion flavor (very soft)
4 tbsp butter (very soft, not melted)
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1/2 - 1 cup shredded round steak*
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
2 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise**
1 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (to sprinkle on top)

*I cooked the round steak in a slow cooker with broth (vegetable), garlic, salt and pepper. I recommend on low for 8-9 hours, or until able to shred easily with 2 forks.

**I mentioned I didn't have mayo... so instead, I used a few tbsp Dijon mustard to keep the filling from being too dry. I would use mayo.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter/grease the pan (whatever size will hold all the rolls)

For filling, mix cream cheese and butter until very smooth; add garlic powder
Add in steak and cheese; mix until well combined
Add 2 tbsp mayo or mustard; mix to combine, adding more if mixture is dry; salt/pepper to taste; set mix aside
In a saucepan, mix half and half, 3/4 c cheese and undiluted cream of potato soup; heat until cheese melts - don't boil - salt/pepper to taste
Put a thin layer of soup mixture in bottom of baking dish
Bust out the crescent rolls!
Place a tablespoon full of filling on thick part of roll; roll from thick end and seal sides as best as possible; place seam-side down in dish; repeat until dish is full or you're out of crescent rolls
Drizzle the remaining soup mix on top of rolls; sprinkle with cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool, so everything settles. Serve and enjoy!

Caramel Apple Doughnuts

2012-11-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

Would love to have you along for the adventure! There are plenty of options to keep up to date with everything here: Facebook, Twitter, RSS Feed, and GFC. Just see the sidebar!

OK. Quick disclaimer. Making your own boiled cider is easy, but may not have the strong flavor you want in this doughnut. I tried one plain doughnut after baking and found that it definitely needed the caramel drizzle. Otherwise the flavor of the doughnut is fairly plain. You can buy already made boiled cider, if you want the intended flavor.

Boiled Cider

1 gallon high-quality apple cider (not juice) with a relatively high acidic content (stronger flavor when reduced)

Pour into thick stockpot. Bring to a boil on medium-high for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Allow to simmer for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally up until it begins to boil again (that means it's reduced enough). Stir constantly from that point for about 30 minutes. Reduction should coat the back of a spoon.

It's best if you use a wooden spoon for this part.

Now that that is out of the way, overall, I'm happy with the result. They baked up nice and cakey, just like a doughnut should be, with just a touch of cider taste. The sauce is to DIE for.

Here we go.

Caramel Apple Doughnuts
(adapted from King Arthur Flour: here)

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons boiled cider or *thawed frozen apple juice concentrate

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup **coconut flour (optional)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

*add one teaspoon lemon juice to concentrate; will have different flavor than cider

**if using coconut flour, add 1/4-1/2 cup more milk to get desired consistency; should stick to spoon, but slide off slowly and easily

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a standard doughnut pan; set aside.

Beat together butter, oil, sugar, salt and spices till smooth.
Add boiled cider and egg; beat to combine.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, flour/fiber, baking powder and baking soda.
Alternating, stir in flour and milk, starting and ending with flour.
Bake for 10-12 minutes; allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack

Meanwhile, on top of the stove...

Caramel Sauce

(recipe found: here)

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tbsp vanilla

Time to be a bit proactive.

Combine butter, sugar, water and salt in medium saucepan, over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Bring to boil for 3-5 minutes, depending on desired thickness. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets.
Remove from heat and stir in milk and vanilla.

Drizzle over cooled doughnuts (and save the rest in the fridge for ice cream!)

Then enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! This recipe only makes a half dozen, but is easy to multiply... I tripled the recipe and got 2 1/3 dozen out of the dough.

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Taco Turkey Casserole

2012-11-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have here another creation with those Pillsbury Crescent Seamless Dough sheets. I absolutely love them! They are so versatile. So, while you're all out there voting, I'm going to sit here, watch the end of Toy Story, and type this up!

Turkey Taco Casserole

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Seamless Dough

1 lb ground turkey

1 packet of taco seasoning, or less to taste

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom

1 cup cheese of choice (I used a taco blend)

1 egg

olive oil

salt/pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

In skillet, brown turkey with olive oil, garlic and seasonings. Set aside. Open 1 can of dough; cover bottom of greased 9x13 casserole dish.

Stir in undiluted soup to meat mix; spread over dough; top with cheese. Arrange second can of dough over top of meat/cheese, pinching in at corners and sides if possible.

Brush top layer of dough with egg (or melted butter).

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

It's super yummy! I hope you enjoy. And Happy Election Day, America!

Two Cheese Bacon Penne

2012-11-03T18:27:00.000-06:00

I've been slacking since the end of Halloween. I think I'm trying to conserve energy for the hosting of Thanksgiving. I always look forward to having my in-laws over and my oldest nephew, since he lives nearby now. That has me delegating tasks and cooking for 8 people on average!

I made this in October, but with all the things I had on my plate, I thought I'd save this recipe for later. I find that making homemade mac n cheese is not only easy, but a huge hit in my house! So over the course of my posts, you may find an abundance of mac n cheeses, 'cause the flavor combos are endless!

Two Cheese Bacon Penne

2 cups whole milk

2 cups cheese, cheddar

1 cup Parmesan, shredded + more for top

1 16 oz pkg uncooked small penne

2 tbsp flour

1 stick butter, divided

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

6 slices of bacon, in pieces

salt/pepper to taste

2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook bacon in small skillet until done; set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 tbsp butter; add bread crumbs and mix well; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk to boil; turn burner off.

Using a high-sided skillet, melt remaining butter; when it begins to bubble, add flour and stir constantly. Add heated milk slowly to skillet, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Add cheeses, salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg; stir until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, start boiling water for penne; cook according to directions on box, cooking just under recommended time. Drain; add pasta and bacon to skillet; fold together until fully incorporated.

Pour into greased 8x8 pan, top with shredded Parmesan (to taste) and bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

I hope you enjoy! Having food on the table is something I'm thankful for every day. :)

Another Re-Design for a New Holiday

2012-10-31T22:15:00.000-06:00

As one holiday comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about the future.

Not too far into the future... a mere 22 days into the future! Can you believe it? Just 1 day over 3 weeks and we'll be celebrating another passing of a (hopefully) blessed and thankful year. I know that I have much to be thankful for.

With the new season, I wanted to introduce the new blog design! I know, for many people Halloween is not quite over, but I just couldn't wait to do the reveal... I really love making these headers. If you haven't found digital scrapbooking yet, you should check it out. I don't do traditional scrapbooking, but I use the elements to make my headers and banners. It's an easy way to get creative and have a small piece make a big impact!

I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween and look forward to seeing you all around for the next holiday.... Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Doughnuts with Cinnamon Glaze

2012-10-29T15:54:00.000-06:00

Are you following me yet? If not, there are plenty of options - pick your poison and stay up to date with all the fun... from me to you!

'Tis a sad day. My candy corn wreath - my crème de la crème - had to be destroyed. There was a certain amount of attention paid to it by the honey bees in the area, which wasn't a problem. (Let's do our part to save the honey bees!) However, in recent days, a new admirer has come to visit: Polistes dominula - the European Paper Wasp. These little buggers decided to burrow and nest in the back of the wreath... and I'm allergic, so the wreath had to go. It was getting dangerous to enter and exit through the front door! C'est la vie.

Yesterday, however, was an awesome day... until I was finished and could hardly move. It was worth it, though. Whoever says that cooking isn't a sport obviously hasn't spent 4 hours on their feet in the kitchen! My arms hurt from stirring and the rest of me hurt from standing. Four dozen later, I was able to sit and relax... even took a long, hot bath.

We were not only Booed back, but also Ghosted on the same day! That put the pressure on - even though we started the tradition in the neighborhood, we were obligated (and pleased) to continue the tradition when it came back to us. That meant 4 treats and 4 neighbors to bless. I had one pumpkin recipe left...

So, here's the recipe for the dough(nuts), straight from PJ Hamel, a test baker at King Arthur Flour (here).

Pumpkin Doughnuts with Cinnamon Glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 standard doughnut pans. If you don't have doughnut pans and don't want to buy any (I did - I'm so excited to have them!), you can use a standard muffin tin. For more instructions on that, please visit the link above.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Beat all these ingredients in a bowl on medium speed until smooth. Then add:

1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Stir in flour a little at a time, until completely incorporated and smooth. Spoon batter into pans. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a cooling rack.

For the cinnamon glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp whole milk (or whatever milk you have on hand)
2 tbsp ground cinnamon (or more, to taste)

Add more milk (to thin) or sugar (to thicken), depending on how thin or thick you want it. Drizzle over completely cooled doughnuts (or muffins). Should take 5-10 minutes to harden completely. (For another option, visit via the link to see the original topping)

Now, I didn't get a chance to taste the two together, because they were destined for others... and I had just enough pumpkin to make the 4 dozen I needed... but I did taste the dough and glaze separately. I can only imagine the heaven those 2 were together. Hopefully the kids of the families we gave them to will brag to our kids about how good they were, so we know!

Or... you could make them, then come back and tell me how good they are! I have another can of pumpkin, but I'm not sure I want to get back in the kitchen so soon after yesterday.

Linked up to:

, Strut Your Stuff Saturdays,

Slow Cooker: Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

2012-10-27T13:52:00.000-06:00

It's one of those days.

Woke up earlier and The Big Man says he's going out to get breakfast. I say I want doughnuts and he agrees. Then I ask him where he was thinking of going. He says "McDonald's", which normally I'm opposed to, but a Sausage Egg McMuffin sounds yummers, so I say so. At this point, I'm still expecting doughnuts... I really want doughnuts. I say, "Wake me up when you get home".

Yeah, right.

So, I wake up a little while ago (it's Saturday... I'm allowed!) and ask why he didn't wake me up. Apparently he "tried"... honestly, I'm not responsible for what I say when I'm sleeping, for goodness sake! Wake me UP! LOL

Plus, no doughnuts. 'Tis a sad day when there are no doughnuts.

Well, on with the show (and pray there's no snow! Ha ha)

Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate (in the slow cooker)
(combined recipes of Jenifer Milton at CDKitchen and Closet Cooking)

Yeah... That's snow and it's all my fault. I had to make hot chocolate. *sigh*

6 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups pumpkin purée

16 oz white chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

pumpkin pie spice, to taste (I added about 2 tbsp)

Throw it all in a slow cooker. Set to low and heat for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the chocolate isn't sticking to the bottom and is melting properly. Serve hot (duh... it's hot chocolate! Ha!).

After the initial taste test by the fam, I set my slow cooker on the warm setting and let it sit overnight. It thickened up quite a bit, but I don't recommend keeping it around longer than that, unless you refrigerate it.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

2012-10-25T15:13:00.001-06:00

Hello my wonderful peoples! I gave away so many spoilers on Facebook yesterday (if you're not following yet, you should be... I'm awesome!), I thought it only fair that I post the final result of my mishap turned yum-fest. After all... you guys deserve it!

I'm posting this while watching Urban Legend (the first one)... I just had a laugh because Robert Englund is in it. He's such an icon in the horror movie industry, when I see him in other movies that aren't related to Elm Street, I laugh. Like when he made an appearance on Bones (on Fox) in the episode where they investigate a murder at her high school reunion. He was all mysterious and creepy you thought he was the killer... it was seriously funny.

Well, I digress. Here's what I was up to yesterday that had me all discombobulated in the kitchen. But what started out as a quest for Candy Corn Cheesecake Mousse from Glorious Treats (here), turned into Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse, by me!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

I think it set up pretty nicely, once I fixed my mistake, don't you? So light and fluffy! Once again, I digress. Here's the list (I doubled the recipe):

2 8oz packages of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk or cream (I used cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 16oz container whipped topping (I used Cool Whip)
pumpkin pie spice, to taste
food coloring (orange or a combo of red/yellow)

Now, don't do what I did and forget to add the whipped topping! That's why it turned into a pumpkin (besides being out past midnight) cheesecake mousse... I had to combine all the candy corn layers.

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until fully smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, then milk (or cream). Add vanilla and spice.
Continue mixing. Beat about 1 minute on medium to medium-high speed. Add food coloring to get color desired, adding more as needed when folding whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Stir until fully combined.
Scoop into a piping bag or other cake decorating device. I used my Wilton Pro Cake Decorator - made things really easy. Squeeze mousse into serving cups, as many as desired.
Allow to set in the fridge for at least an hour (up to 24 hours) and enjoy!

I can't wait to share it with my kids when they get home from school! I filled a rather large glass with what was left from the smaller ones for my husband and he's been sneaking tastes, so apparently it's got his approval.

Linked up to:

Strut Your Stuff

Halloween: The End + Harry Potter Fanfic

2012-10-24T15:10:00.001-06:00

I realize I've been MIA for a few days. I want to explain.

Stress has a unique way of snowballing with me, due to my bi-polar disorder. I was in my manic phase during the beginning of my 31 Days of Halloween endeavor, so busting out posts every day wasn't a problem. It's occurred to me in the past few days of being sick that I have entered my depressive stage of the condition, hence the reason I got sick.

By committing to the 31 Day challenge, I became stressed without realizing it. I tend to brush it off until I boil over. So, to take the pressure off, I am abandoning the 31 Day challenge, therefore relieving me of my stress (hopefully). I still want to create some of the things I have planned, but will do so on my own time, rather than feel the pressure of a deadline.

I hope you understand. You have been amazing followers and I wouldn't trade any of you! This endeavor has been super fun and I've crafted more things in the last 24 days than I have in a long time and plan on continuing in the near future. My family has been spoiled by all the yummy things I've been making, too!

Instead of a Halloween post, I want to share something else with you. I know that many of you are Harry Potter fans, due to the response to my Harry Potter Workouts; if you've ever checked out my sidebar, you'll know that I'm also a proud member of the website goodreads.

Awhile back, I had come across some fanfic available for free ebook download that pertains to Harry Potter through goodreads. If you don't know what fanfic is, it's a type of writing that uses the worlds and characters of certain novels/series to create side stories or continuations of the original storyline, but are independent of the original author.

This particular piece of fanfic has turned into something of a phenomenon. It's extremely well written for a novice and doesn't feel like fanfic, but rather an extension of the beloved Harry Potter story.

If you are not a member and you love to read, I encourage you to visit goodreads and check it out. You can even friend people (like me!) and I would love to share the literary world with each and every one of you, even if our tastes differ (as they many times do)! If you are a member or decide to join, comment below and I will look for you so we can become friends or you can find my goodreads badge in my sidebar - it connects to my profile.

Oh! And just so you know, you do NOT need an eReader like a Kindle or Nook in order to read the ebooks on goodreads. You can download them to your computer or, like me, get the goodreads app for iPhone or Android, which will enable you to read right on your phone/device!

Halloween Day 20, 21 & 22: Boo-ing the Neighbors

2012-10-22T12:39:00.000-06:00

I realize this is kind of cheating on the 31 days, but I just can't shake this bug I have, so I'm combining the 3 days into one post.

It's amazing what one night of staying up can do to your immune system.

For my first project, I gained inspiration from Lil' Luna (here). She did this project earlier this month and I fell in love with it! I'll admit, I did not use all 6 bottles (I have OCD and a thing about the number 5) and I didn't follow all her directions, but I think they turned out pretty cute, anyway.

To get her printables (in PDF), you can follow the above link or go here.

Materials I used:

2 6-pack IBC Cream Sodas (in clear glass bottles - I understand Crush is a viable option as well)

Black Matte spray paint

printables/glue

Halloween candy for bottles

Her version has much more bling, but the ribbon I was going to use is also on the wreath on my front door... in order the whole project to work, it needed a bit of anonymity.

I sprayed the [empty] boxes with spray paint and let dry. After making my family guzzle all 12 bottles of Cream Soda and washing/drying the bottles, they were filled with festive candy. With the printables, I merely cut them out and used a glue stick to adhere them to the box.

If you want to up the WOW quotient, I suggest going to Lil' Luna and checking out her directions. I left mine fairly plain in comparison.

For the second part of the project, we needed to have signs to leave with the treats. I found the printables I used through Making Memories with Your Kids. If you aren't following her blog yet, I recommend it! -------->

To get the printable I used, visit her website here. There are also a bunch of cute ones out there to print/download for free if you're willing to search for them!

After printing and cutting, I pasted them on to the back and front of a piece of Halloween scrapbook paper (x2). This way, the neighbors have a sturdier sign to put in their window after the boo-ing!

If you are following along on Facebook (and even if you're not - though I'd love to have you!), I mentioned that, since it's Monday, it's time for Mommy Advice.

I want to teach my children the joys of giving. Unfortunately in my house, it's become more of a "what do I get" mentality and with Christmas just around the corner, I thought it was high time that changed. This little project is the perfect starter for what I have planned for the "12 Days of Christmas"!

As soon as the kids are home from school, we will be picking 2 doorsteps to bless with these little treats. Up to this point, we've only talked about it, but they seemed excited to be doing it. Besides, it's a great little tradition to start in the neighborhood... we have such awesome neighbors!

Do you have this tradition in your neighborhood yet?

Halloween Day 19: Harry Potter Workout #6

2012-10-19T18:22:00.001-06:00

Well, let's get right down to it. I've procrastinated enough today!

By the way, in the movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, did anyone else make the comparison between Dumbledore and Gandalf the White when he and Harry are in the cave getting the horcrux? (Sorry, I'll put that away... I hate it when my geek shows. :) )

This week's tallies:

50 vertical crunches
110 lunges/leg
70 push-ups
200 jumping jacks
110 sit-ups
50 side lunges/leg
90 alternating toe touches/side
90 squats
7 minutes in plank position
50 burpees
50 mtn climber reps

Halloween Day 18: Pumpkin Roll Cake Bars

2012-10-18T18:36:00.000-06:00

Here is Round 2 of today's yummy treats, which makes me all caught up on my 31 days! I'm the queen of multi-tasking today, since I'm also working on the Harry Potter workout (#6) for tomorrow. I'm going to need it after the cake-tasting today!

Pumpkin Roll Cake Bars
(adapted from The Recipe Critic)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan; set aside.

For Cake:

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 15 oz can pumpkin (I used Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin)

1/4 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

dash of salt

For Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar (for cake); beat in eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and water until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Slowly add flour mix to pumpkin mix until combined and smooth.

Pour 2/3 of mix into prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.

In another bowl, whip cream cheese first, then beat in sugar, vanilla and the egg. Add on top of cake in pan, spreading as evenly as possible.

Dollop the rest of cake mix on top of cream cheese, spreading as evenly as possible. You have the option to marble the top 2 layers with a butter knife or toothpick.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. (I put it in for 30 and had to add 10 minutes to get the bottom cooked through).

Linking up at The Nesting Place

for the 31 Days Challenge!

and