Trick-or-Treat

The girls have their costumes on... now if they could only convince me to take them trick-or-treating!

Pumpkin Fudge contd...

For those of you non-believers, here is the Pumpkin Fudge in a "real life" photo. Yes, I do try all of the recipes that I post. As I mentioned below, this one is de-lish!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Pumpkin Fudge

This is one of my favorite times of the year b/c I love, love, love pumpkin everything! Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin pie, and now.... PUMPKIN FUDGE! I mean I'm just saying, its really stinkin' good :)

Here's the recipe from myrecipes.com:




















PUMPKIN FUDGE

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage) or for about 12 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The Thngs That Appear in My Backyard...

You'd be surprised at all of the things that appear in the alfalfa field behind my house! All in one week, we've had...

...a hot air balloon...

...a double rainbow...

... AND 11 horses...

I can't imagine what'll be next :/

Priceless...

who really opts for a PBR tallboy at the fanciest sushi place in town?! OH that would be me... It was on special for $2.50! (maybe that makes them not quite as fancy as I thought? :/)

Can't Let Go

This story posted to the NBC Philadelphia website gave me chills and I wanted to share it with all of you...

Little Soldier Girl "Didn't Want to Let Go"

Four-year old Paige didn't want to say goodbye to her daddy before he was shipped off to Iraq...

A family photo that shows a little girl beside her father and his fellow soldiers in uniform as they prepare to go to war has resonated well beyond the tight knit Bennethum clan.

Four-year-old Paige Bennethum really, really didn't want her daddy to go to Iraq.

So much so, that when Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum lined up in formation at his deployment this July, she couldn't let go.

No one had the heart to pull her away.

Story by VINCE LATTANZIO, NBC

Just a reminder that no matter what your political views are, we must support our troops. They are leaving their wives and children every, for months on end, to stand up for your freedom!

Pearl Jam Live!

Pearl Jam was in Utah last week for the 1st time in 11 years and we were there! In fact, my parents even drove out from Colorado for the concert. It was siiick. They played all the classics, from Even Flow to Alive, and stuck around for two encores! 135 minutes and 28 songs later, I remember why the 90's were sooooo rad.
P.S. I know you're jealous!

I heart Eddie Vedder*

Jeff Ament playin' bass**photos courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune

♥ DSW

If you haven't ever been to a DSW you are surely missing out! My favorite place to find fabulous shoes at awesome deals.

Exhibit A: $90 Guess leather pumps on clearance for $25

I realize that they are white and I will have to wait till next spring to wear them, but imagine how excited I will be come Memorial Day 2010!

P.S. I never buy anything regular price at DSW. You must head straight for the clearance racks, do not pass go, do not collect $200. They almost always have in season shoes for total steals!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Those lovely fall trees (pictured below) are now dusted with snow, making them even more beautiful to look at. Here's a warm and cozy recipe for a snowy fall day.


















Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients
* Cooking spray
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
* 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Preparation
Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.