Recipe: Lily's Pumpkin Cake

Are you tired of making the same ole, tried and true pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving dessert? Don't worry, I've got you covered.  I was introduced to this delicious pumpkin cake and I'm sure this one will soon be the new family favorite. 

Pumpkin Cake

Cake

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup of sugar

1 cup crisco

15 oz can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter or margarine 

1 tsp vanilla

2 cup powdered sugar

- In a bowl, combine eggs, sugar, crisco, and pumpkin and beat until fluffy.

- Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda. 

- Pour into lightly greased flour pan and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. 

- Let cool, and then whip frosting ingredients and spread on top. 

Serve with a big glass of milk.

Enjoy! 

Recipe: Grandma's Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This was a go to favorite of my grandma's when we would come to visit because it's delicious, quick and can feed an army. I know I'm always looking for new recipes that can be done in the crock pot. So book mark this - you won't be disappointed! Plus, who doesn't love cheese and pasta? 

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1 chicken or 4 boneless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

1 lb velvetta cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 stick butter

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion 

1 10oz package of spaghetti 

additional optional ingredients: mushrooms, water chestnuts, zucchini 

- in a crock pot, add chicken breasts and chicken broth and let cook 

(I use frozen chicken breasts and leave mine on low all day and by the time I get home from work they are ready. If you don't want to use a crock pot you can boil the chicken.)

- cook spaghetti as package directs

- drain spaghetti, add in shredded chicken and all other ingredients and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. 

(I use the 2 cups chicken broth from the crock pot but if you want your spaghetti more 'soupy' add a little more. And because CT adoesn't like onion, I use 3 tbsp of minced onion flakes instead of the fresh chopped onion.) 

Serve this with a side of bread and it makes the perfect warm fall/winter meal.
Enjoy! 

Recap: Baby Shower #3

This weekend Kingston, CT and I were spoiled with awesome advice and gifts from some of my best friends. 

My friends Katie and Jenna hosted the cutest shower that matched perfectly with our nursery color scheme - black, white, mint, metallic, and mustache. 

(We totes didn't plan to match - but we did!) 

Cupcakes, cream puffs, cream cheese goodies, sandwiches, punch. 

This pregnant mama to be was happy! 

I am so thankful to all the ladies that came to help us celebrate! 

(And the ones that couldn't make it but still sent gifts)

The best piece of advice that I received yesterday:

As excited as you are to see all of those 'nexts' (rolling over, crawling, walking) - just live in the moment. They are only little once so cherish each and every day. 

This is something I plan to work on every day. Time passes too quick. 

As new parents I hope to soak it all up and live in the moment - the good and the bad! 

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie (My Version)

Let me let you in on one of CT's favorite meals that we just so happened to stumble upon. You know those times where all the food on your plate get's intermixed and you now have one big item instead of three separate items?  Well thankfully that happened when we were having corn bread, mashed potatoes, and stroganoff. I'd say it was a concoction gone right! 

Shepherd's Pie

(My Version)

Bottom Layer

A box of Jiffy corn bread mix. 

Bake as directed. 

(family secret: we add about 2 tbsp sugar prior to baking)

Middle Layer

A box of Stroganoff.

Cook as directed. 

Top Layer

A box of instant garlic mashed potatoes. 

Cook as directed. 

As you can see here, we don't mind the easy/delicious/bad-for-you processed foods. You could definitely make this same concoction with home made stroganoff and home made mashed potatoes. 

But really... who has time for that these days??

The Perfect Combination

I would like to think of myself as a connoisseur of fine dining. I would also like to think of myself as having quite the mature palette. With that being said, I have found the perfect concoction 

at . . . 

CT and I have turned Friday night dinner into a tradition of eating out at Chipolte. It started as something we did before every friday night football and basketball game, and it's continued since then. I can't tell if it's a good habit we've formed or a bad one. On one hand I think it's good because it tastes so delicious, but on the other hand it's bad because it's putting a dent in our wallet as well as putting a dent in the back of my legs. That cellulite is no joke. ;)

Anyways, the perfect concoction is . . . 

 - bowl

- half brown rice/ half white rice

- no beans

- fajita veggies

- steak

-no salsa

- corn w/ extra corn

- sour cream

- cheese 

- guac 

- add salt 

Try it. 

I promise you will not be disappointed! 

Recipe: Graveyard Veggie Pizza

Last week at work, I was part of a committee hosting our 4th quarter birthday celebration. We chose to have a Halloween themed birthday lunch and I was in charge of decorations and a graveyard veggie pizza!

I took my inspiration from A Taste of Home:

but in my version I doubled the recipe and added a lot more goodies! 

Graveyard Veggie Pizza

Crust

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

Topping

3 cups cottage cheese

1 packet of ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup milk

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 cups shredded cheese 

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped cauliflower

2 cans chopped ripe olives

1/3 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3/4 cup chopped banana peppers 

1 can green chiles 

Tombstones

1 package cream cheese

4 teaspoons sour cream

10 - 15 crackers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crust

- combine flour, baking powder, and salt

- add milk and 1/4 cup oil, mix well

- shape into ball and knead 10ish times

- on a lightly floured surface, roll into a 15x10 rectangle 

-transfer into an ungreased pan.

-prick with a fork and brush with remaining oil

- bake at 425 for 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

 (I noticed mine needed a little more time because I made it thicker)

- let cool completely before adding toppings

Topping

- combine cottage cheese, ranch dressing mix, mayo, and milk

- spread over crust 

- sprinkle with lettuce, cheese, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, carrots, onions, banana peppers, and green chiles

Tombstones

- beat cream cheese and sour cream until fluffy

- place mixture in a ziplock baggy

- cut a small hole in the corner of the bag or if you are fancy get out your cookie decorating tools

- decorate crackers 

Even though Halloween isn't my fave, I enjoyed whipping up the festive veggie pizza! I was nervous about making a homemade crust and bringing it to work after my first time of making it. Needless to say it was a huge hit and very delicious! 

And Serenity Now

Recipe: The Perfect Pecan Pie

CT celebrated his 26th year of birth earlier this month, and I wanted to make him something special: pecan pie. I wanted to go for something unlike the traditional birthday cake. 

I had never made a pie so I took to the web to find the perfect recipe!

Here's my rendition of the Pioneer Woman's recipe. 

The Perfect Pecan Pie

(Picture taken prior to baking) 

1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (I used a store bought frozen one)

1 cup White Sugar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Corn Syrup
3/4 teaspoons Vanilla
1/3 cup Melted Butter (salted)
3 whole Eggs, Beaten
1 cup (heaping) Chopped Pecans

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Prepare your pie crust or if you purchased a frozen one like me let it thaw to room temperature

- Mix the sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl = syrup mixture.

- Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Make sure you have an even amount of little pieces and bigger pieces. (the little pieces are what crisp up on the top of the pie)

- Pour the syrup mixture over the top. Cover the top and crust gently with foil. Bake the pie at 350º for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for 30 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans.

 - NOTE: PIE SHOULD NOT BE OVERLY JIGGLY WHEN YOU REMOVE IT FROM THE OVEN. If it extremely jiggly, continue to bake it checking on it periodically. I learned quickly that this pie sets up after you remove it from the oven to cool, so it will still have some jiggle when it's done.

- Allow it to cool for several hours or overnight if possible. 

- Serve with a heaping amount of whipped cream and enjoy!

For my first time baking a pie, it turned out fabulous and CT loved it! 
He ate the whole thing in two days. 
I hope you all enjoy it as much as he did! 

Recipe: Cayenne Crackers

Yesterday I posted about a delicious frozen bloody mary that would be perfect for a tailgate, and today I have the perfect snack to go along with it. When CT and I went to the Chiefs vs. Cowboys game a friend of mine brought some:

Cayenne Crackers

1 1/4 cup canola oil

2 tbsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

1 box of club crackers

2 gallon zip lock bags

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

- in a mixing bowl, combine the oil, spices, and ranch dressing

- stir well

- put 1/2 box of club crackers in a gallon ziplock bag with half the oil mixture

- put the remaining 1/2 box of crackers and oil in the other zip lock bag

- seal bags with air

-toss crackers and let sit for ten minutes

- continue to toss crackers every 10 minutes for 40 minutes

Serve and enjoy!

This is such a simple appetizer and would go well dipped in ranch or hummus. It has the perfect amount of salt and heat. 

Recipe: Fried Egg & Avocado BLT

Fried Egg & Avocado BLT

3 slices of pre-cooked bacon

1 slice of tomato

1 egg

1 half an avocado 

1 slice of cheese 

2 pieces of bread

lettuce

mayo

-Toast your slices of bread

-In a greased skillet fry 1 egg

{I like mine with the yoke broke because it makes the sandwich less messy} 

- heat up your pre cooked bacon in the microwave as the package directs

-slice up your avocado and tomato 

-complete the sandwich by adding mayo, bacon, lettuce, tomato, fried egg, cheese, and avocado 

This is such a quick and simple dinner that is so delicious. 

I also love any recipe where I can get all the food groups in one dish! 

Mothers Day Weekend

I love the weekends! 

 Lounging. Cleaning. Sleeping in. Naps. Catching up on DVR. Loving on my husband and pupperz.

 Yesterday was most definitely a Friday. It was such a CRAZY busy day at work. I think it mostly was due to our cosmetic clinic director only having 3 more days left with us. I'm already feeling the repercussions of her leaving. I got triple the amount of emails that I normally do. Things are about to get even more crazy. All I can do is take one day at a time and continue to check www.indeed.com in the meantime.   

Last night a group of us girls got together for a going away dinner + drinks and then they all came back to my apartment.

We went to Mikes Wine Dive.

It was the best meal I've had in a really long time. 

I got a fried egg sandwich, a spicy oyster appetizer, and some gourmet deviled eggs. I was going to get the smores for dessert but I was too stuffed by that time.

This is where CT and I will be going for my birthday dinner [in 19 days!] because it was so delicious.

Speaking of my birthday, we also got tickets to the circus! I can't wait. 

 

 

Welp, it's mothers day weekend! 

I hope ya'll did something special for your mom. My mom was able to come up to Wichita yesterday to be a training model for us at the clinic for injectables.

 One of the many perks of my job!! 

 In the last month she has got more then $1500 in free product. I'd say that's quite the mothers day gift. =)

 

 

My mom also brought to town my new buffet table. Now I'm just needing to go find some red chalk paint and get to work. 

There are so many apartment projects on the to do list.

 

1. paint buffet red

2. paint mantel white

3. add tile around bathroom mirror

4. paint bathroom

5. find a better fabric storage for hobby room

6. refinish kitchen table 

 

 

     Still on the agenda for the weekend: Wichita Wild football game, church, our nieces soccer game, and a dance recital.