blog cuan

Happy Halloween!! Hope you all have some fun plans for the day.  In our neck of the woods are having beautiful weather (and we praying for all of you out east).  I love when Halloween coincides with great weather.  It makes dressing the kids up much more enjoyable. This year we have a hobbit, a siamese ghost (yep her and her friends are literally attached at the hip so this is perfect for them), a black cat, and a vampire. They are very excited and I sure try to be.  I get more into what I am going to make for dinner.  We usually have "dinner in a pumpkin" but since all the kids dislike that we are opting for something else pumpkiny.  I haven't made up my mind for sure but these pancakes would be a great idea.  The cinnamon syrup is delicious and goes with the pancakes like I do with chocolate.  A perfect pair.  And thanks Carol for passing this recipe on.  Loved it! Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup ( click here for printable version...

Surprisingly I am not sick of apples yet. If you follow me on facebook you know that me and couple friends (Michelle and Tara--you're the best!) canned applesauce all day last Tuesday.  152 quarts later and we are good to go for a while.   During this apple season it is essential (as in I might die if I don't :) for me to make as many apple related recipes as possible.  This one was probably my favorite, favorite this year.   We were in heaven.  Combine the homemade ice cream with sauteed apples, some salted caramel sauce , almonds (if you want), and it is "died and gone to heaven" in a bowl.   A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Take my word for it and go make some right now. Apple Pie Ice Cream ( click here for printable version ) 1 1/2 cup whole milk 1 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cup half and half 1 tbsp vanilla 2 tsp cinnamon 2 cup whipping cream 2 large apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 tbsp butter 3 tbsp sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 5 cinnamon graham crackers, broken into s...

Every Monday night we have family home evening.  My kids love it and get so excited for it.  Each one of us have different job for that Monday and we rotate each week (and do not confuse it or you will be in big trouble). There are two coveted spots.  Dessert and activity.  And you can guess that if it is one of the kids turns for dessert, they will pick brownies and ice cream.   I don't what it is about them, but they L.O.V.E. their brownies.  We usually use a box but sometimes we get crazy and make a homemade version.  They loved this version.  Especially with the peanut butter frosting--because everything is better with frosting.  Plus it's a good way to use up extra Hershey's Syrup (we had two whole bottles left from an ice cream party and they were taking up too much room in my fridge:). Chocolate Syrup Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting ( click here for printable version ) Brownies: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp va...

Oh my word, the wind is howling outside my window and the rain is pouring.  I guess fall has officially begun. And it's so nice that I can be huddled inside warm and cozy.  I love crockpot meals this time of year.  Especially because I just got 40 lbs of chicken and this recipe was perfect to try out my chicken. I love sticking something in in the morning and having such a yummy smell in my house by dinnertime.  The kids love it too when they come home from school and smell something delicious for dinner.  And we can't usually go wrong with crockpot and chicken combined.  Even my daughter that swears she doesn't like meat will eat a little of bit of chicken. Funny story about her.  She takes after my sister Emily--the one who posts occasionally for me on this little blog (and who had a birthday yesterday and is the big 21).  Emily eats a little meat but has had a huge aversion to touching it.  So Sarah, my daughter, was talking to me in the k...

So I have to confess something.   Ready...this is the first time I have ever made fudge! Okay maybe it's not that earth shattering but I decided boy was it time to try it and get over my fear of "the fudge".  There is just something about it that has always made me a little leery (who knows why--it's probably just me being weird!). I mean don't get me wrong, but fudge seemed like the old lady thing to do.  But now I am realizing it's totally not that way and it's really cool to make fudge all year round.  And it's even cooler to make fudge the super easy way. No grainy sugar in this lady.  Sweetened condensed milk is your best friend.  Which makes this fudge so ridiculously easy, I can't believe I haven't tried it before.   Plus this recipe comes from Ashton over at Something Swanky and the co-organizer of Online Blog Con , which is where I will be today, and tomorrow, and the next day.  Way excited!!  Pumpkin Spice Fudge with Marshmallow Cr...

Do you make "to do" lists at your house? I certainly do.  I'm just that kind of person.  Right before I started writing this post I was making three lists: recipes I am going to make in the next two weeks, groceries I need for those recipes, and all the things I need to accomplish in the next 2 days (you don't really want to see that one because it's no fun but a mom has got to do what a mom has got to do!). Lists make me feel better.  Makes me "feel" organized.  I am contemplating starting one for Thanksgiving.  Mine would look like this: 10. Make apple pie. 9. Make pumpkin pie. 8. Make pumpkin cheesecake pie. 7. Make a "cherpumple" pie/cake. 6. Make a chocolate pie (any will do) 5.  Make more pie crusts. 4. Make pecan pie (a must for the madre) 3. Make another pumpkin pie (because I ate the other one already). 2.  Make a "pie shake" (haven't had one yet and the sisters rave about them) 1. Eat some pie. Like my list?  And now sin...

The hubs loves seafood.  Me not as much. I mean I love fish, crab (especially fresh in Seattle), and shrimp.  The rest I can't stand.   Tastes way too fishy or seafoody.  And way too squishy.  The hubs on the other hand loves to find fantastic restaurants that sell scallops.  Those are his favorite.  When I went to Seattle I brought home fresh scallops and he was in heaven.  He loves Red Lobster for their scallops and for their biscuits.  We don't have a Red Lobster within 200 miles of where we live, so I decided to make a homemade version one night so he could have his beloved biscuits.  He loved them and was quite happy.  Now if I would make scallops more often I think I might send him over the edge with happiness, but this girl doesn't cook scallops that often.  So gross!  I guess he will just have to survive :) Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuits ( click here for printable version ) Biscuits: 1  3/4  cup all p...

We have been eating apples like crazy at our house.  It has been so delicious.  I can't seem to get enough. I got 2 bushels to make into applesauce and we are going to be lucky if we have any left.  I got them from a local orchard and they are absolutely amazing.  Crisp, juicy, and so sweet. And of course, you have to have caramel apples at least once a week.  It is imperative.  Life simply couldn't exist if you didn't.   I have all sorts of caramel recipes at my house but this is the best one I have for caramel apples.  It is thick enough for dipping, and hardens fast enough for the apples.  So scrumptious, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Salted Caramel Sauce ( click here for printable version ) 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1/3 cup whipping cream 3 tbsp butter 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 – 1 tsp coarse sea salt (add to your preference) 1.  Cook sugar, syrup and whip cream over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until it r...

And the winner is:  #51 Tara who said, "I like Shabby Apple on Facebook".  I emailed you Tara so get back to me with your information so we can get you your gift card.  Congrats! Sometimes things come along and make me smile.  Quite unexpectedly.  And I love it. Like this bread for instance.  Not only is it smiling, literally, I smiled and smiled when I found that I had never posted it for you.  I made this goodness last fall and everyone went nuts about it. The pumpkin bread is absolutely delicious and then with a surprise layer of cream cheese.  Amazing!  It is perfect for the cooler weather and fall.  And don't blame me if you eat the whole thing :) Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread ( click here for printable version ) 2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 8 ounces dairy sour cream 1 egg 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground nutm...

Don't forget to enter the Shabby Apple giveaway .  You have a couple days left. We have had a bountiful garden this year.  And I am so thankful.  Now, anyway. After canning 48 quarts of salsa, 50 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 40 quarts of whole tomatoes, and 12 quarts of tomato soup, I was really tired of tomatoes.   Tired, but very grateful to see all that beautiful goodness sitting on my shelf. Anyways...in the middle of all the produce we ate vegetables like crazy and I loved it.  I love especially a fresh salad, that is super easy to throw together, and also tasty and filling.  The black beans and chicken add some protein so we ate this as a regular meal.  Absolutely delicious!  Definitely a keeper. Chicken Chop Salad ( click here for printable version ) Salad: 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken (I used canned and it worked great) 1 green pepper, diced 1 cup black beans 1 cup sweet yellow corn (frozen and defrosted) 2 roma tomatoes, diced 4 scallion...

Did you enter the Shabby Apple giveaway yet? I am a snacker.  I love to snack.  Because of that, I try really hard (try being the key word here) to eat "healthier" snacks when I snack.   It all started when my kids were little.  You see they could never last from breakfast to lunch and then from lunch to dinner so we would have snacks.  And of course I couldn't let them snack by themselves so for 12 years now, I am in the habit of snacking.  And I love it. Especially in the afternoons with a cold diet coke.  Heaven!!   So in my effort to eat "healthier" snacks I decided to make my own Larabars.  Have you ever heard of them?  They are a protein bar that is gluten free.  Yeah.  They are made with a  base of dates (don't freak out--you can't even taste them) and can be made into many different varieties.  I made two kinds--chocolate of course, because that goes best with the Diet Coke.  And they turned out absolute...

    I have been cooking up a storm at my house.  How about you? Now that it's chilly in the mornings and evenings I am pulling out all my soup recipes, making pies (I think I've already made 8 so far), and pretty much anything that has pumpkin. Pumpkin is one of my all-time favorites.  I absolutely love it.  So I thought I would share with you some of my past favorite recipes.  1. Pumpkins Cookies with Maple Frosting --what a delicious combination. 2.   Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie --perfect for Thanksgiving. 3.   Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle --because everything is better in a trifle dish. 4.   Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins --what a delicious surprise in the middle.  5. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread--it will make you smile all day long--recipe coming soon. 6. Cheesecake Caramel Pumpkin Cups --you know it tastes way better in mini form. 7. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting --oh my, oh my, oh my. 8. Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles --c...

Yep--avocado. I know, weird. But the kids loved them. Well as long as I didn't tell them what was in them.   That is totally one of my pet peeves.  My kids could be merrily eating something, and enjoying it a lot I might add, and then they find out that there is something they "don't like" in it and they will immediately stop eating it and say it's gross and refuse to take another bite. No matter how much I argue they won't listen to the fact that they were happy eating it before they found out.  The flavor has changed in the last 30 seconds, only the fact that they now know.  It's all in their head!! I even try to warn the hubs before we are having something that has a questionable ingredient.  I say, "Please do not tell the kids what is in here."  Too many times he has mentioned something--not realizing the effects is will have on the kids-- and everything will be ruined.  So prevention is the best medicine.   Anyways...these muffins have the s...