Sunday, November 6, 2016

Halloween 2016

Halloween was tons of fun this year!  Festivities began on the Friday before - both kids had their Halloween parties at school so it was a busy day.  Thankfully wherever I went I had protection.  No bad guys were messing with Batman or Batgirl!


     

Once I had both kids dropped off, I hung around at Redmond's school for their Halloween parade.  About 500 kids ages 5-7 dressed up in costumes?  So. Much. Cuteness! 


After Redmond's parade, I headed back to Ashlyn's school for her trick or treating.  She scored lots of candy and did so well saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" in her cute little pixie voice.


Later that afternoon, it was time for me to get into my costume for a little Halloween get together that Marie and her hubby hosted.  The kids picked out my costume.....any guesses??? 

The kids wanted me to be Poison Ivy so they could 'capture' me :)


Then, it was time to par-tay!!!  Seriously, how cute are all these kiddos?  An added bonus?  All the kids were terrified of me and my red hair.  Muahahahahaha!!!!  (Seriously, one of the little boys wouldn't even take a cookie from me!)

Over the weekend we got the kids pumpkins all carved.  Redmond drew the face he wanted and give Jason the job to make it happen.  (The green booger/snot was a last minute addition).


I was put in charge of Ashlyn's.  She drew it on the pumpkin and I did my best to get it carved.  These pumpkins are from our garden and were super thick and tricky to carve!


Halloween morning, the kids were decked out in their Halloween shirts and we took Redmond to school.  I felt bad for all the teachers that day.  I'm sure it was complete and total chaos!

    

The excitement after school - oh, the excitement!  When I picked up Redmond from school his teacher was telling all of the parents "good luck" as we walked out of the classroom :)  Those kids were wired.  We got home and I made the kids a quick dinner.  Look at this super cute pasta I found at Aldi - black and orange pasta in the shapes of witches, pumpkins, and bats.  Perfect meal for pre-trick or treating!


We have an awesome neighbor across the street who sets up a hay ride for neighborhood kids each year.  So, Jason and the kids hopped on that and went trick or treating while the pumpkins and I stayed home and handed out candy.


The weather really cooperated this year, unlike the previous years (snow, rain, sideways rain, etc...) so I was able to sit out on our porch to hand out candy. 



After trick or treating, candy counting, piling, organizing, and consuming commenced. 


The kids had such a great time!  It's so much fun to experience these holidays through their eyes :)


Happy (Belated) Halloween!!!

~ Sara :)

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Goat Cheese Bruschetta

This is, hands down, our favorite appetizer.  I find myself looking for reasons to make it.  It's so delicious!  The tangy goat cheese, salty capers, hint of balsamic, garlic.....so good.  Don't wait for a party or special occasion to make this.  Lunch or dinner is reason enough!

Goat Cheese Bruschetta


Ingredients:

1lb tomatoes, seeded, cored, and diced
3.5 oz capers, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp Olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 loaf French or Italian bread
1 large clove garlic
3-4 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
Directions:

1. Combine the tomatoes, capers, minced garlic, basil, 1 tbsp olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl.  Mix well, cover, and set aside.


2.  Heat oven to 375.  Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices on a diagonal and place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle each slice with olive oil and bake until just beginning to toast and brown - 10-15 minutes.  Remove bread from the oven and cut 1/4 inch off the top of a large garlic clove.  Rub the cut end of the garlic on each piece of bread.  Then, spread a layer of goat cheese over each slice, top with tomato mixture, and sprinkle with parmesan.


3.  Return the bread to the oven and bake until parmesan melts, about 5 minutes.  Remove, serve, and enjoy!


Bon Appetit!

~ Sara :)

Friday, November 4, 2016

Vegetarian Chili

Chili is a fall and winter staple in our house.  I make it at least every other week in the cold months.  It's warm, filling, and soooo comforting.  My chili is loaded with beans and veggies.  This is a great crock pot meal, but you could easily make it on the stove.  

Vegetarian Chili



Ingredients:

2 large bell peppers, chopped (any color will do)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts canned tomatoes (or 2 - 28oz cans diced tomatoes)
48 oz black, great northern, kidney, etc. beans (I like the Randall mixed beans), drained and rinsed
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp - 1 tsp Kosher salt (this will depend on the type of tomatoes and beans you are using - some canned varieties are loaded with salt and you may not need as much)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or crackers for serving

Directions:

1.  Add all ingredients into a 4 or 6 quart crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Adjust salt and pepper as needed, serve, top as desired and enjoy!


Bon Appetit!

~ Sara :)

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

Spaghetti Squash is a food that I just can not get myself to like.  It's not spaghetti-y enough for me.  It's crunchy and I just can't get past the texture.  But, Jason loves spaghetti squash.  I've made it a few different ways, but this is by far how he prefers it.  It comes together quickly and is easy to prepare ahead of time.  You could even cook the squash 1-2 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to stuff and bake it.  This recipe is very versatile too - use whatever veggies sound good, add a protein (Jason likes Italian sausage), or swap out pesto for marinara, Alfredo, or extra olive oil.

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pesto
Serves 2


Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
2-4 tbsp pesto
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Cut spaghetti squash in half vertically and remove seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for one hour.  Remove and allow to cool.

2.  Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften.  Add the tomatoes and dried basil and cook for an additional minute.  Remove from heat, scrape out the cooked spaghetti squash and add to the pan with the veggies.  Add the pesto and mix to combine.  Put half the mixture into each of the empty spaghetti squash shells (or you can place into an 8x8 baking dish) and top each with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes - until the cheese is melted and the squash is warmed through.  Enjoy!


Bon Appetit!

~ Sara :)