Delicious Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and How to Take This Picture

Happy Halloween! To check us out all dressed up head on over to Facebook.

I'm going to be honest, my least favorite part of carving pumpkins is cleaning out the seeds. It kind of grosses me out. Usually my husband takes on the job. I would probably just chuck the seeds but every year he saves them, cleans them, and makes awesome savory pumpkin seeds. So this recipe is courtesy of The Man Who Ate Everything.

I like to experiment with my camera and learn all I can by trial and error. To take this floating pumpkin seed picture all I did was put a seed on the end of a 6 inch wooden skewer and stick it in the pile of seeds so that it stands up. I tried using glue to secure it but it wouldn't stick so I used some gum I was chewing. Call me Macgyver. Don't worry, I threw the gummy seed away. Take the picture from above in AV mode with the lowest aperture setting you can (mine was 2.8) focusing on the single seed so that the background blurs out. Easy right?

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe by The Man Who Ate Everything
2 cups pumpkin seeds
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons worcestershire
3 shakes garlic salt (this is a "man" measurement so around 1/8 tsp)
3 shakes onion powder (around 1/8 tsp)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Rinse seeds under cold water and make sure all of the strings and pulp are removed. Drain well. Stir seeds with melted butter, worchestire, garlic salt, and onion powder in a small bowl making sure they are fully coated. Place seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 50 - 60 minutes (or until brown and crispy) stirring every 20 minutes.

*If you have the time here are some tips my husband uses for extra crispy perfect seeds if you have the time: Soak seeds in salt water for a day then lay out the seeds in a single layer and let them dry out for another day before roasting them.

10 Last Minute Halloween Party Menu Ideas

We are down to the wire...Halloween is tomorrow!  I'm over at Tablespoon today posting 10 last minute Halloween Party Ideas. Today's National Candy Corn Day so start off with Candy Corn Pizza! Finish with Mummy Cupcakes for Dessert. Check out the other last minute ideas here...

Thinking Orange and Black

2 Reasons you know that it's almost Halloween:

1) You can't find your mascara because your husband used it to color in his Xmen Wolverine beard.
2) You ate Whoppers out of your trick-or-treating stash for breakfast.

Here are some quick brownies and cupcakes that are fast and easy for that last minute Halloween treat:

Scream Cheese Brownies

 Spiderweb Cupcakes



Scream Cheese Brownies

These are an easy Halloween treat...brownies with a cream cheese layer. Normally you are supposed to put chocolate frosting on top but I wanted the Halloween colors to show so I added a little bit more sweetness to the brownies to make up for it. These can easily be adapted for Christmas or any other holiday colors. Betty Crocker has a version of this recipe here but this version came from one of my readers Annie. Thank you Annie...I had one for breakfast!

Swirl the batter with a knife...

Scream Cheese Brownies

Mix by hand:
1 brownie mix with ingredients required in mix (I like Betty Crocker's Triple Chunk Supreme or use half of this homemade brownie recipe)

Cream cheese layer:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
orange food coloring (optional)

Mix by hand your favorite brownie mix. Spread ½ of the brownie mixture in 9x13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and flour and mix well. Add orange food coloring to desired color. Spread cream cheese mixture on top. Drop remaining brownie batter on top and pull a knife through. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with chocolate icing when cool if desired.

Spiderweb Cupcakes

The fastest way to make something Halloweenish is to throw a spiderweb on it. You can add a spiderweb to brownies, cupcakes, or cookies. Supersize your web and put a huge one on a brownie or cookie pizza. The possibilities are endless. If you want add black plastic spiders on top of your web.

Spiderweb Cupcakes

1 box of chocolate cake mix

1 container vanilla frosting

1 tube black decorating gel

orange food coloring

1) Bake cupcakes according to package directions. Cool.

2) Add orange food coloring to vanilla frosting container and stir with a spoon.

3) Frost cupcakes with an even layer of orange frosting.

4) Using the black decorating gel make 3 circles starting in the middle and moving outward.

5) Take a knife and starting at the middle circle slowly drag it to the outermost circle.

6) Garnish with plastic black spiders if desired.

Source: I've seen versions of these everywhere. I just kind of did what I thought looked good.

Witches' Brooms

My brother Mark and his family have been here visiting. We rarely get visitors out here so we get really excited when we do. My thoughtful mom sent gifts with my brother. She sent stuffed flying monkeys that sent my son hiding in a closet and a 1/2 pound, instead of the usual full pound, of See's candy because she knows I'm trying to be good (bahaha). I managed to save one piece of candy for John when he came home from work and my son is still hiding in the closet from those %$#&! monkeys. Um...I mean...thanks mom for being so thoughtful.

We had a our own little Halloween party. We drank Swamp Juice, ate Halloweenies, had a donut eating contest, and carved pumpkins while dancing to Thriller. My niece Saige made these cute little witches' brooms to "BOO" our neighbors made from peanut butter cookie dough, chocolate, and butterscotch.

Check back soon for more last minute Halloween ideas...

Witches' Brooms

adapted from Betty Crocker

1 package peanut butter cookie dough mix or your favorite homemade peanut butter cookie dough

10 pretzel rods, cut in half

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

butterscotch chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix cookie dough according to package directions. Dough will be wet.
3. Place pretzel rod halves on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto cut end of each pretzel rod. Press dough with fork to resemble "bristles" of broom.
4. Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
5. Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzel handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered.
6. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips or paint bristles with the melted butterscotch like we did above. 
7. Let stand until chocolate is set. To hurry the process place in the fridge.

Pink Lemonade Pie

Perspective. It's really unfortunate that it takes a life changing event like cancer to give us perspective. To make us realize that the petty insignificant things we worry about, are just that...things.

My mother-in-law, Sheri, was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. Luckily, she caught it early and was able to start treatment right away.

In true Sheri style, she would show up to radiation early in the morning with her hair and makeup done and dressed to impress.

The nurses would say to her, "You know...most people just come in their pajamas. You don't have to dress up."

Not Sheri. She was going to kick cancer's butt and look good doing it.

I'm happy to say she is now cancer free. Woo-hoo!

This is actually a twist on Sheri's Limeade Pie which is a Denney family favorite. This version uses pink lemonade and has a crust of Ritz crackers. Yum. You can try raspberry or strawberry lemonade too I'm sure. I know this is more of a summer dish but we are still sweating over here in Florida.

Lemonade Pie

Crust:
100 Ritz Crackers, crushed (3-4 sleeves of crackers)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. butter, melted

Mix cracker crumbs and powdered sugar together until well blended. Add melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly and sticks together. Press 2/3 of it in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Set the remaining 1/3 of the crumb mixture aside.

Filling:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (6 oz) pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 (12 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

red food coloring (I made mine a little more pink)

Combine sweetened condensed milk and lemonade, whisk together. Fold in whipped topping and food coloring. Pour into prepared Ritz crust. Spread evenly. Top with crumb mixture. Freeze for a couple of hours.

When ready to serve, take from the freezer, let sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes or until you can cut pie. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in freezer immediately.

Source: Better Than Burgers

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

I'm in no condition to be blogging.

Seriously, PMS has taken over my life.

I made chocolate fondue this weekend when my husband was out of town and ate it all by myself.

I cried during Desperate Housewives.

I have a zit the size of Texas on my chin.

I'm out of control.

I apologize in advance for offending you or biting your head off. My filter button is broken.

I apologize to my friends today for eating their french fries without asking.

Before I get myself into a lot of trouble, I will go. But not before telling you that I loved these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

I got the recipe from my friend Ami. She likes to add a cream cheese frosting drizzle on top of these in addition to the caramel frosting to bring out the pumpkin flavor otherwise she said they taste just like candy. Well I like candy. So I opted not to make the cream cheese drizzle and just added more pumpkin pie spice to make up for it.

And did I mention I was PMSing? Yeah, that makes me extra impatient so I couldn't wait to make more drizzle. I'm surprised I waited long enough for the rolls to rise.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

adapted from Recipe Anatomy

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast

2 cups bread flour (you can use regular all purpose flour but bread flour makes them lighter)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted butter

CARAMEL FROSTING

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 dash salt

3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

2. Add half of the flour to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Spray a surface with cooking spray or turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy enough to handle. Roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.

4. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into twelve 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.

Caramel Frosting:

In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.

Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.

Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

I did not escape the wrath of whatever my boys had. It hit me like a ton of bricks and I alternated between shivering and sweating to death. I think it was the flu. Whatever it was, at least it was a short lived torture because so much is going on this time of year. If you guys are anything like me, you are swamped with birthday parties, Halloween parties, and school functions. This dip is great for a Halloween party. If you love Pumpkin Pie, you will love this dip. I know I have posted this Pumpkin Fluff Dip before, and while it's good, I prefer the texture and taste of this one. I'm sharing it over at Tablespoon today so go check it out.

                                                      Pumpkin Pie Dip Recipe

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

I've been playing nurse over at my house. All of my kids and my husband all of sudden got hit with 103 temperature and the chills. John was on his way to go golfing and came home so you know it had to be serious. They've been sleeping most of the day. I've been shuffling around my house making the rounds between taking temperatures, giving medicine, and trying to make them drink fluids. I'm just hoping that I don't get it next but I feel like it's inevitable. They would hardly eat anything but I did get them to eat this soup. This soup has 5 out of 5 stars on Allrecipes and over 4,000 people have rated it so what does that tell you! It's definitely the best potato soup I've had. Thanks Becky for sending it my way...

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup carrot, diced (optional)
1 cup diced cooked ham (buy a ham steak in the deli section)
3 1/4 chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Note: I added some carrots that I had and Becky said she adds a can of corn too which would be good.

Directions:
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.

4. Top with cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon if desired. Serve immediately.
 
5. Makes 6 servings
 
Source: adapted from Allrecipes

Jalapeno Popper Dip and a couple of my favorite pumpkin recipes...

Hey guys, I am blogging over at Tablespoon today about some more "Man Food"...Jalapeno Popper Dip so just click on the recipe below to check it out. I love it because I can control the heat and it's seriously easy and yummy.


Since I'm in full pumpkin mode now I thought I would share a couple of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting: If you are going to choose anything pumpkin to make, I would make these. I usually like food to speak for itself but oh my gosh these are amazing. I would probably classify these as a cupcake and not a muffin but if calling makes you feel better then by all means.

Sheri's Pumpkin Bread: This is my mother-in-laws bread that we've been making for the past ten years. It's so moist and has just the right amount of spice. Her secret is wrapping while it's still warm so that it's extra moist. I've never messed with it because it's a family recipe but I imagine some milk chocolate chips would be good mixed in.

These pumpkin rolls are a classic. I'm sure you've all made them. If you haven't, you must. It's a secret recipe that isn't so secret anymore.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

This is "Man Food" at its best. Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese. This may be a Denney favorite. My husband is a little obsessed with buffalo chicken anything and then throw it with creamy mac n' cheese... heaven. It is a little spicy so you can adjust according to your family's taste. I just made half of this recipe and it was more than plenty for my family. Although it takes a little prep work, it is yummy and will be well appreciated by all the men in your life watching football this weekend. 

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound (16 oz) elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce (preferably Frank's. If you are worried about the heat factor add half the amount)
2 tablespoons  flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound (16 oz) yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (found in the grocery store next to regular breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Best served immediately. Makes around 8 servings.

Source: Adapted from the Food Network

Pumpkin Blondies

Here are the facts: People treat me differently when I'm blond then when I'm brunette. Pros and cons to both, but definite distinct differences. Don't even get me started about how differently you are treated fat versus thin.

When I'm blond, doors tend to get opened more often and I can get away with innocent mistakes. You know, "blond moments" like pouring hot water on my windshield instead of scraping off the ice. In my defense I grew up in boiling hot Arizona with no snow. But then on the down side, people often assume nothing's going on upstairs. Dumb until proven otherwise. I've had someone tell me that I'm a lot smarter than I look. Umm...thank you?

When I'm brunette, I'm asked more about politics and where I got my degree, not where I got my hair done. But I'm also assumed to be stone-cold sober person with no interest in having fun. While the first part is true, I am always up for a good time.

So right now, with my thick brown roots showing, I'm enjoying both sides of the coin. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself until I can find time to get my hair done.

I have never been a huge fan of blondies. I tend to be drawn toward the chocolate version but these were pumpkin blondies were sent to me by my friend Amy and I had to try them. They originally were made with chocolate chips but her version used white chocolate and butterscotch chips. This version was really good but you know me...I love chocolate, so I think I will try the other version next time just because I can. Although they aren't lookers, their texture is supermoist and chewy, and their flavor will win you over.

Pumpkin Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the pumpkin puree. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips (and pecans, if using) with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Swiss Chicken

I'm back. I survived the St. George marathon. It was brutal. It was unusually hot for this time of year and the heat sucked the life out of me. My Ipod froze right from the get go. It's happened once before and decided to happen once again at the start of the marathon. I was stuck on two ABBA songs for the whole race. Uggghhh!

"Dancing Queen" isn't exactly the best song to get you motivated. Guess I can check marathon off the bucket list. Check.

A lot of you guys emailed me and said you were running it too. How did you guys do?  

My sister Shelly, my nephew Scott, and me

I swore at mile 24 that I would never run again. But...now I'm thinking of all the things that I could have done better and how I can shave off time next time....so I guess my marathon days may not be over.

Yes. I know. I need my head checked.

Since I still can barely walk because I'm so sore, I was thinking of an easy dinner that still tastes good. Even I can hobble around the kitchen to make this easy swiss chicken. It's so simple but has great flavor. My sister has been making it for years but I saw it over at Real Mom Kitchen and was reminded of its yummy simplicity.

Swiss Chicken

4 chicken breasts

6-8 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1 cup milk
1 box Stove Top Stuffing
1/4 cup butter melted

1. Pound chicken breast to even out the thickness of the chicken. You can place the chicken between to layers of saran wrap and use a rolling pin or a meat mallet if you have one. If I buy the Costco chicken breasts I just slice them in half horizontally and skip the meat pounding step.

2. Place chicken breasts in a sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

3. Top chicken with the slices of Swiss cheese.

4. In a small bowl, mix soup and milk until well blended.

5. Pour soup mixture over chicken.

6. Top the chicken with the dry stuffing mix. Drizzle stuffing with melted butter.
7. Baked covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 5-10 minutes longer. Serves 6-8.

Source: Real Mom Kitchen