Pumpkin Muffins

Delicious Pumpkin Muffins from Foodtv's Ellie Krieger.  These are easy to make and they make the whole house smell like a spice cake. I sprinkled a little sugar and cinnamon on the tops before baking for an extra crunch. 

Menu Planning

Back to school, fall in the air and football season - I love September.

Monday - Soccer game tonight so something fast - Chicken Fajitas in the Deep Covered Baker

Tuesday - Ginger Steak Salad by the Pioneer Woman - I am doing mine on the grill though

Wednesday - Chicken, Apples, Potatoes in the crock pot

Thursday - Hosting a Pampered Chef party: Curry Scented Butternut Soup, Caprese Pizza, Mini Carrot Cakes

Friday - Pizza Night - probably homemade

Red Velvet Heaven

A friend from church is getting married in two weeks.  Yesterday was her wedding shower.  Red velvet cupcakes were the order of the day.  They were so goood!  I used the Martha Stewart recipe from start to finish and I recommend it.

It's a Boy Cupcakes

A friend from church is having a boy and my BFF Alissa and I volunteered to make the cupcakes for the shower.  The invitation was brown and baby blue with bright colored stars, stripes and swirls.  We tried to mimic the theme.

Vanilla Cupcakes + Chocolate Buttercream Frosting were the flavors of the day.

We doubled the recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes by Joy of Baking and had to substitute a bit when I discovered one egg in my fridge vs the six I needed.  A little vegetable oil, a little milk and all is well.

The pre made, pre colored fondant from Michael's was a big help.  All in all - delicious and cute!

Harvest Time

Ah the bounty of my deck top garden...aka...three terra cotta pots with tomato plants. I have mentioned before the battle that is gardening in the high Sierra. The soil is slow to warm and critters are many so pots are my best option.  I am bent on raising something for the salad bowl myself.  We have a terrific Farmer's Market but I miss growing things on my own.  And even though the tomato plants weathered frost, hail and deer they produced fruit. And it was delicious in our salad last night.  Totally worth the fight.

Sa..weet Strawberry Daiquiri

Oh so cool and oh so sweet. Puree some fresh berries in a blender, add a can of strawberry daiquiri mix from the freezer section and some rum.  Yum. 

Farmer's Market bounty

Yum!

I miss my garden. Gardening in the high elevation climate we live in is beyond challenging.  Short growing season, cold soil, frequent temps near or below freezing throughout the year and hungry chipmunks  .  Not easy.  The tomatoes in the pots on my deck can testify to this.  But the Foothills Farmer's Market comes to town twice a week during the summer months.  Hurray.

Here is what I picked up this week.

Roasted new fingerling potatoes and spring onions on the grill.  Delish!

Heirloom tomatoes will go with mozzarella and basil for a salad on Friday night.

Sliced cucumbers just stand on their own.

What are you harvesting and enjoying right now?