Happy Halloween My Pretties

Have a safe and happy Halloween! Please remember, don't drink and fly and watch out for the munchkins.

Fall Recipes

Looking for something to munch on when passing out the candy on Halloween? This is an easy, peasy snack that I found on Pinterest and it is awesome! We had our small group over for Bible study last week and when the guys came in and saw this on the kitchen counter they made a bee-line for it. It was hard to tear them away! Here's the scoop:

1 bag of Indian Corn
1 bag of Reese's Pieces
1 can or jar of dry roasted peanuts
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of mini pretzels

You can also add sunflower seeds, Craisins and/or a bag of mallow pumpkin/candy corn mix. Warning, if you like sweet/salty mixes this is kind of like candy crack. 

For dessert I made another easy recipe that was lurking on my Pinterest page, Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars from The Girl-Who-Ate-Everything.com and this was a crowd pleaser. I have to admit her photo looks way more appetizing than mine and I do want you to know how great these are so I'm "borrowing" Christy's.

 Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

    Crust:
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
    Cheesecake Filling:
    3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
    3 large eggs
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    Apples:
    3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    Streusel Topping:
    1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup quick cooking oats
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
    Drizzle:
    1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Instructions:

•     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
•     In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 forks until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
•     In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
•     In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
•     For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
•     Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Finally, this is what was waiting for me at my desk Monday. What a nice surprise! Now if I could only celebrate without actually having to add another year to my age that would be great. Although I take comfort from one of my friends reminder that I'm actually only one day older.

Ingredients

Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling:
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples:
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
Drizzle:
• 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

See Kid-Friendly Halloween Treats

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Notes

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html#oHL7yJotJOLoOvxi.99

Ingredients

Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling:
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples:
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
Drizzle:
• 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

See Kid-Friendly Halloween Treats

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Notes

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html#oHL7yJotJOLoOvxi.99

Grateful

I am so happy I like in a part of the country that experiences four seasons. Yesterday was a perfect fall day and, as DH went to the Chief's game with friends from work, I took the opportunity to drive and walk around a bit and enjoy the height of fall color.

I was glad to come upon this hedge apple (also called Osage Orange) tree in a nearby park and collect several of the lumpy fruits. Do you have these in your area? They are supposed to repel spiders but I like them because they have a wonderful spicy smell and collected several to keep in my craft room to enjoy over the winter.

I've also seen them painted white like snowballs and loved that idea too. Enjoy this beautiful season!

Catching Up On October

I picked up the latest issue of prims yesterday at Barnes & Noble. It is filled with awesome fall and winter characters and I can't wait to sit down with a cup of hot tea and enjoy the stories behind the creations. I always enjoy learning more about the folks whose blogs I visit from time to time, including Old Lady Morgan and Audry Eclectic Folk Art.

Here are a couple of pieces from our entry way table. I don't have anything very elaborate going on there but enjoy seeing these old friends every day. The JOL lantern is a reproduction but I don't recall if it is Bethany Lowe or not. The cat and pumpkin toy are BL pieces. I like their nostalgic look.

This is book fair season! Due to the generosity of those who attended 2012 Christmas Eve services at our church every student at our six partner schools can select two free books at their book fair. These are schools that, for the most part, have not been able to support a book fair for years. I've had the privilege of visiting every fair and seeing the joy of the kids and hearing about their enthusiasm for reading--I can tell you the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is in big demand! Some of them pick out books they can read to their younger siblings--so sweet!

Hello Again

Happy October! I'm long overdue for an update but just haven't been doing anything too exciting. Just a lot of work and trying to keep up at home. I couldn't let fall go by without doing a little bit of decorating. It's nothing like I used to do when the guys (and me) were younger, but enough to give the flavor of fall around the house.

Picture-Nell Hills, Mercury Glass Gourds-Home Goods, Candleholders-Lone Elm Antique Mall

Table-Nebraska Furniture Mart, Chairs-Picture Perfect Interiors

Lanterns from Pier 1, Runner from Winterberry's (Tuscola, IL)

 

So yep, life is good, enjoying the fall and trying to keep Kiska out of trouble.