Eat your vegetables

(photo Eddie Ross)

o

Love this idea.

May do something like this tonight.

Just for the adults I am sure, the kids

will be noshing on candy.

Happy Halloween

Picture from last night - we went to a

Halloween party at Dan & Melissa's.

Today we carve pumpkins and get ready

to dress up again and go

trick or treating with the kids.

o

Happy Halloween!

Sugar snap peas

Sesame Sugar Snap Peas

Place Sugar snap peas in a pot of

boiling, salted water. Cook for about 2-3 min.

Drain & drizzle with about 2 tsp. of

sesame oil. Toss with some sliced red

pepper and top with a sprinkle of

black sesame seeds. I usually serve

these with grilled salmon.

Pumpkin picking

We went to a little local farm

to pick up a pumpkin. We didn't

stay long though, it was a very warm

day and Logan was hot & thirsty and

got a little cranky - I must say.

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Birthday dinner

Flowers for the dinner table.

A little bread & cheese appetizer.

Taylor made the brown flower vase and

the little purple/blue bowl in his ceramics

class at school. I think they're really beautiful.

A delicious bottle of wine.

A wonderful birthday dinner for D.

Menu:

Grilled steak & shrimp

Baked potatoes

Steamed carrots with butter & dill

and coconut cream pie for dessert.

(pie from Marie Calendar's)

Happy Birthday Honey,

we Love you!

Making cookies

We were busy making cookies yesterday.

All frosted and decorated

with chocolate chips.

Don't they look cute in the cookie jar?

Looks like they got trapped in there

and they're trying to get out!

Booooo!

My Books

*

I have never been much of a book reader.

I am always trying to improve on that, but I can't

tell you how many books I have started,

but not finished - oh the shame....

But, I totally enjoy reading cookbooks. I can

curl up on the couch with one of these and read

it like a book, from cover to cover.

The Barefoot Contessa has to be one

of my favorites. I have made sooo many

of her recipes, from all of her books, and they

are always delicious! Her Asian Grilled Salmon,

Parmesan Chicken, Tomato Mozzarella & Pesto

Paninis, White Pizza with Arugula, and

her Spinach Gratin, are just a few that

I make over and over. I also make her

Creme Brulee recipe - and it is the best!

Sweet Tomatoes

CaPreSe SaLaD

Sliced Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 Tbls. Olive Oil

1 Tbl. Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 clove minced garlic

s & p

Fresh Basil

Salt & Pepper

Little cuties

Love these mini latte bowls

from Anthropology.

Perfect for little snacks.

Fun treats!

o

Something fun to do tonight!

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Dinner tonight

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Cheese Ravioli,

tossed with olive oil, lemon zest, and

fresh basil. Topped w/ toasted pine nuts

and parmesan cheese.

Served w/ green beans & garlic bread.

Simple & delicious.

o

Great idea

o

Great Halloween decorating ideas

found at myhomeideas.com

What a great way to use apothecary jars.

Last year I filled mine with candy, but I

like this idea better.

Spooky!

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Beets

o

Beet Salad

(one of my favorites lately)

Steam and peel beets. Slice and serve on

a bed of spring mix,

top with crumbled goat cheese,

roasted pepitas & balsamic vinaigrette.

o

Weekend

The weather is warm again today, it's

supposed to be 100...booo, hisss!

Still unpacking from our Mexico trip.

I think it will be a quiet weekend.

October Break 2009

Time to boogie board

Logan caught some good waves

Chloe, Harley & Maddie

a beautiful sunset

daily seashell hunting

some of our finds

beach art

Another gorgeous sunset. We had a
great week. The time went way too fast,
but we had lots of sun & fun.

Fall break

(Logan, 15 months)

Packing up for the beach today.

Old photo from one of our many trips

to Mexico. I keep this photo on my desk

and it always makes me laugh -

love the drool!

Will have some more great photos

to post in a few days.

Candy Corn

(photo: countryliving.com)

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I love this candy corn idea. I actually

have a wire holder just like this one.

I will definitely be using this idea.

What a great centerpiece for an outdoor dinner.

Yet another reason to buy candy corn!

I am the only one in this house who likes it

so... more for me!

Oh Great Pumpkin!

o

Logan has been sick the past few days.

Some kind of stomach bug - yuk!

He's be on the couch watching a lot of

cartoons. "Batman the Bold and the Brave"

is his current favorite. Today we watched,

"It's the Great Pumpkins Charlie Brown"

several time actually, but I don't

mind, it's one of my favorites.

o

Hope you feel better soon

my little buddy!

The table was set...

for Mom's birthday dinner.

My new favorite cheese from Trader Joe's.

Morbier - it's a French cheese, creamy

and nutty with a vein of blue

running through the middle. It's

like two delicious cheeses in one.

Served with toasted baguette & bread sticks.

On the menu:

Asian grilled salmon

(Barefoot Contessa Recipe - so easy)

Steamed white potatoes w/ garlic,

basil, salt & pepper

French green beans & tomatoes

in a vinaigrette

Steamed baby carrots with butter & dill

for dessert...

Chocolate lave cakes with vanilla ice cream

and fresh raspberries

Herb Pot

Morning project.

(oregano, rosemary & thyme)

The air is cool this morning.

I sat outside to drink my morning coffee.

It's a bit breezy, the birds are chirping

and you can hear the buzz of lawn mowers.

Everyone is happy to be outside today.

It's going to be a beautiful day!

Sweets

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I put out my Halloween decorations

today and filled up the goodie jars.

o

Happy Friday!

Happy October!

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I am sooo glad October is here! Not only

because of Halloween - which I love, but

because it also means, after a long, hot summer,

the cool weather is almost here - yay!

I am tired of my summer recipes too. I am ready

to make big pots of soup & chili, pork roasts

with roasted winter vegetables and

pumpkin bread & muffins.

I am ready to eat outside and enjoy

some fresh, cool air too.

Oh boy, oh boy - I am ready for fall!

o

Pumpkin Choc. Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. solid pack pumpkin

1/3 C. vegetable oil

2 lrg. eggs

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 cup (plus 1 Tbl.) sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips

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Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs & 1 1/4 cup sugar,

til smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour,

baking powder, baking soda, salt and

pumpkin pie spice. Combine the pumpkin mixture

with the flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Add chocolate chips. Divide batter into muffin tins.

Mix the cinnamon with remaining 1 Tbl. of sugar

and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 until

puffed and golden. 25-30 min.

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Enjoy with a cup of coffee, sitting outside,

in the nice, cool (hopefully...) weather.

o

o