Day out at the Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Thanks for another fun time at the Pumpkin Patch.

Until next year....

Project of the Week ~ Acorn Fun!

Rainbow Acorns

When you have a million acorns that the kids have collected....you start to wonder what you can do with them besides sweeping them up in the vacuum cleaner all day long!
Here is a fun and EASY project that all ages can participate in!

Gather Acorns.

Pop the tops off and discard the body of the acorn.

Color the inside of the tops with vibrant washable markers.

Fill with Elmer's Glue.

Set in a bowl of rice or beans.

Let dry for 3 days. You will see the colors bleed over the few drying days.  We had to check on them about a million times a day.  Let's just say that with little people that like to keep checking on them a very high and safe place is needed to keep them safe!

Use as a fall decoration or work on preschool topics such as matching, colors, sorting, counting, color mixing, etc!


I found this on Pinterest but since then the original post has disappeared into cyberspace.

Recipe of the Week ~ Salted Caramel Popcorn

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Yield: About 8 cups popcorn

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

This sweet and salty popcorn treat is a super yummy to snack on 

while enjoying a night at the Drive-in with friends!

ingredients:

6 cups plain popped popcorn
2 cups coarsely chopped salted pretzels
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Drop of red food coloring
     -if you want to make the popcorn pink for Easter
1 1/2 cups Easter Pretzel M&M's

directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine popcorn and pretzels. Set aside. In a
medium saucepan, bring sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to a
boil over medium high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is
amber in color, for about 8-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat
and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Be careful because the mixture
will bubble up. Stir until smooth and add vanilla extract,
marshmallows, and drop of red food coloring-if using. Stir until
marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.

2. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and gently
stir with a rubber spatula until popcorn is well coated. Stir in
 the pretzel M&M's. Transfer mixture to a large baking
sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool completely.

I found the original recipe HERE!

Recipe ~Turkey and all the Fixings!

Turkey Time!

World's Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey

Find the original recipe HERE at the Food Network

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

 Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity; ditch the liver and save the rest of the giblets for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then season inside and out with salt and pepper. 

Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions,carrots, apples and herbs, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter.

 Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours (for a 10- to 12-pound turkey; add an extra 15 minutes per pound for larger birds). Remove the foil, baste with more meltedbutter and crank the oven to 425 degrees F.

 Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees F. 

Let rest while you make the gravy.

Turkey is done but lots of little hands helped make rolls, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole!  The house smelled delicious, the food was fantastic and the little 

chefs were pleased with their dinner!

Yum!  We'll have to do this again next year!

A Few of Our Favorite Things ~ Fall Fun

We love Fall!  

Recipe of the Week ~ Fall Squash with apples and sausage

This is a family favorite recipe that is made many times in the fall!

Ingredients:
3 Apples
1 Small Onion
1 Butternut Squash
1/2 cup Water
1 Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage

Directions:
1. Wash and cut the Butternut Squash in half.  Place in a 9x13 pan with 1/2 cup water.  Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours  or until tender and easily pierced with a fork.

2. Cook sausage, diced onion and diced apple until Sausage is done.  Drain if needed. Fill the hole of the squash and serve or remove the squash from the shell, mash and top with the sausage mixture.  Enjoy!

Enjoy!