Scrambled Week so far!

Have you ever had a week that seems to sort of self-arrange? You have (what you thought) was all things arranged on your calendar and then things start happening differently than you planned? Yep, that’s the kind of week I’m having. Tuesday was Knit/Crochet Movie night – I had 2 soups coming and (I thought) 2 salads – what I got was chili, coleslaw, 3 bean salad, ambrosia and a few other ‘weird things’ – it all worked out, but it sure was goofy! Nine people came, 2 went over to the other side of the room to talk during the movie, several went home, three of us were ‘going’ to watch the movie – one fell asleep immediately, one kept frowning during it, and 2 of us watched it (“Red” – great retired CIA spy flick with Bruce Willis, Helen Miran, Morgan Freeman, Ernest Borgnine & John Malcovitch – lots of action (I brought it – everyone else forgot to bring a movie!)

Attempting to finish up the next 2 months spcecial needs group’s newsletter (it’s printing as I write this); another ‘goofy stuff’ adventure attempting to get dates solidified for several events, and who’s bringing what for the Harvest Party – sigh.

Husband & I drove to the dealership this morning to take my van in for an oil change and to find out why I had a rather loud (intermittent) squeak which was coming from the back right tire area. Husband decided we’d both drive so that if they needed to keep my van, we had an extra vehicle instead of renting. When he got into his Jeep the light came on Low tire pressure – as he went to check that the Valve Stem broke off in his tire pressure hose! GREAT! We still both drove – they fixed my van (oil & replaced rear brakes $300) and kept HIS Jeep! Great – more driving back & forth in the next day or so. To add to the fun – our internet is still acting slow/goofy. Husband ended up ordering Uverse to be installed tomorrow which will, hopefully, give us better computer speed (and for his on-line gaming, too).

Been a crazy week – tomorrow is my special needs Harvest Party – that’s usually fun for my kids; we have lots of floor games for them to play, corn chips & warm cheese dip, frosted donuts, cider/pop – should be fun.

Oldest son started the new restaurant yesterday and asked if I would pick up grandson today (he was supposed to have Thurs. off on the new restaurant schedule, but he wants to work just to get a hang of the whole ‘running your own restaurant’ thing.)

How’s your gas prices lately? Ours were ‘just fine’ in my opinion – they WERE $3.09/9 – then yesterday they jumped to $3.18/9 IN ONE DAY! Great – oh well, I wouldn’t be happy unless I had something to complain about, right?

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 Pan Roasted Butternut Squash & Apples

3 T. margarine
1 (12 oz) pkg. refrigerated butternut
squash pieces* (about 3 C.)
1 1/2 C. chopped Granny Smith apples,
about 1 large apple
1/2 C. apple juice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. salt
–
Melt marg. in large skillet over medium-
high heat. Add squash & cook 5-7 minutes
or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Add apple, apple juice, cinnamon, ginger &
salt; stir to combine. Reduce heat; cover &
simmer 15 minutes or until squash is
tender. Serves 4 (about 1/2 C. each)

*Fresh butternut squash may be used in
place of refrigerated. Peel & cut squash
into pieces then follow recipe.

(readyseteat.com)
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Chicken Tamale Casserole

4 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack
cheese, grated
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix (Jiffy)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 lb. ground chicken, turkey or beef
salt & pepper, to taste
fresh chopped cilantro or parsley,
to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13 baking pan with nonstick
spray. Combine cheeses in small bowl.
In large bowl, stir 1/4 C. combined
cheeses, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn,
muffin mix & green chiles; stir until
just combined; pour into prepared pan
& bake 15 minutes or until just set. While
baking, cook ground meat in skillet over
medium heat until completely cooked;
drain, if necessary & add salt & pepper.
Remove cornbread from oven & pierce
all over with a fork. Pour enchilada
sauce over corn bread & top with
chicken & remaining cheese. Return
to oven another 15 minutes. Sprinkle
top with cilantro or parsley. Serves 6

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
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Easy Apple Cake

8 oz. applesauce (plus more for
drizzling)
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, room temp, beaten
1/2 C. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice* (plus
more for sprinkling)
1 box yellow cake mix
8 T. unsalted butter, melted/cooled
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9″ square or round baking
pan; line with cross-hatched sheets of
parchment paper, greasing in between
papers; set aside. In medium bowl,
place applesauce, condensed milk, eggs,
sugar & apple pie spice; beat until well
combined. Add about 1/3 of dry cake
mix to mixture; mix to combine. Pour
mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle
rest of dry cake mix on top & smooth
carefully until cake mix covers the apple-
sauce layer evenly. Pour melted butter
evenly on top; sprinkle on a bit more
apple pie spice & scatter a few dollops
of applesauce on top of cake. Cover cake
with foil & bake 20 minutes. Remove foil
bake about 10-12 more minutes, until
cake has begun to pull away slightly from
sides of pan and is set on top. Remove
from oven & let cool completely before
slicing into squares or wedges.

*To make your own Apple Pie Spice:
Combine:
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground allspice

(recipe: FaveSouthernRecipes.com)
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Autumn Sausage Casserole
(crockpot)

1 lb. sausage
1 large or 2 small apples, chopped
1/2 C. chopped carrots
3 C. cooked long-grain rice
1/2 C. raisins or craisins
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1 T .brown sugar
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. chicken broth (or water)
–
Cook sausage in skillet on medium
heat until browned; drain & place
in crockpot with other ingredients.
Cover & cook on Low 5-7 hours or
High 3-4. Serves 4

(recipe: momswithcrockpots.com)
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Bell Pepper Dip

4 T. butter
4 T. white vinegar
4 T. granulated sugar
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream
cheese, softened
1/2 large green bell pepper,
chopped
1/2 large yellow or red bell
pepper, chopped
–
Bring butter, vinegar & sugar to
a boil in a small saucepan. Beat
in cream cheese then fold in
chopped peppers. Mix well &
place in a serving bowl. Garnish
with a little chopped pepper on
top, if desired.

(recipe: Tina-justapinch.com)
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Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

1 C. butter, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 C. chopped pecans, (optional)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter,
cream cheese, sugar & vanilla. Add eggs,
one at a time, beating well after each
addition. In another bowl, combine flour,
baking powder & salt; slowly mix into wet
batter until combined; fold in cranberries
& nuts, if using. Fill greased or lined muffin
cups 3/4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen

(recipe: julieseatsandtreats.com)
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Savory Squash & Bean Side Dish

6 slices bacon, chopped
1 C. chopped onions
2 C. cubed 1″, peeled* butternut squash
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 C. shredded Colby & Monterey
Jack Cheeses (Kraft)
2 T. chopped parsley
–
Cook bacon & onions in large nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes
or until bacon is crisp; stirring frequently.
Add squash & broth; bring to boil. Reduce
heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes
or until squash is tender. Add beans; stir &
cover. Cook 8-10 minutes or until heated
through. Stir in cheese & parsley just before
serving. Serves 8, 1/2 C. each.

*Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds with
a spoon. Use a vegetable peeler to remove
outer skin, then cut into cubes.

(recipe: Kraft foods)
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Caramelized Pumpkin Soup

2 small pumpkins, about 3 lb
2 C. vegetable broth
2 sweet red peppers
1 1/2 T. olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 T. cinnamon
salt & pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum
foil. Cut top off pumpkins & slice in
half; scoop out seeds & membranes.
Brush insides & outsides of halves
with 1 T. olive oil. Cut each half into 1
inch slices. Slice red pepper into 1/4″
slices. Add slices of pumpkin & pepper
to baking sheet & sprinkle with coarse
sea salt & black pepper. Roast pumpkin
& peppers on middle rack 30 minutes;
flipping half way through. Allow to cool
slightly; set peppers aside. Remove skin
from pumpkin & mash flesh; set aside.
In pan on medium-high heat, add 1/2 T.
olive oil & red pepper flakes. Cut onion
in 1/8″ slices & add to pan. Lower heat
to medium & cook onion 10 minutes
until caramelized. In large saucepan add
onion, peppers, pumpkin, vegetable
stock, 1 T. cayenne & cinnamon; blend
all ingredients using an immersion
blender (or, in batches, in a blender).
Heat soup through & simmer 5 minutes.
Add more vegetable stock for thinner
soup. Adjust salt & pepper to taste.
Serve soup & sprinkle with remaining
cayenne, if desired.

(recipe: thelatinkitchen.com)
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Pumpkin Bars w/Cream Cheese frosting

Cake:

2 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 C. pumpkin (1 15 oz can)
1 C. oil
2 C. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting:

3/4 C. butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 C. powdered sugar
dash salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place 2 C. sugar & 4 eggs in stand
mixer bowl; add pumpkin & cooking
oil – mix 2 minutes. In medium bowl,
combine flour, cinnamon, baking
powder, baking soda & salt; stir well
then add to pumpkin/oil mixture and
mix 2 minutes, scraping bottom of
bowl with spatula. Spray a large
jelly roll pan (or other shallow pan)
with nonstick spray and pour batter
into it, spreading evenly. Bake 30
minutes or until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean. Cool
completely.
Frosting:
Place butter, cream cheese, milk, vanilla &
1/2 C. powdered sugar & salt in a bowl;
beat until smooth. Add a little more
milk if frosting is too stiff. When cake is
cooled completely, spoon frosting on
top and smooth out. Serves 24 (or more
if cut smaller)

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)

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Craft-wise still working on the coffee mug
covers – three more to go. As far as the
‘easy’ 4 stitch scarf pattern – I somehow
made a mistake; have ripped out probably
10 rows now and still can’t find it. Driving
me nuts! Took it with me to the dealership
today and did row – ripping; got totally
frustrated and put it in my bag & went
back to knitting the mug covers (at least
with those, I can spot a  mistake!) I find,
for me, anyway, that patterns with Yarn
Overs are my nemesis – if I make a mistake
with a Yarn Over in a row, I just can’t seem
to fix it!!! UGH!

Weather-wise, we’re doing good for this
time of year: right now it’s bright & sunny,
a little breeze and 55 degrees F. Originally
at the beginning of the week they were
saying we would have 30’s and rain for
most of the week – glad that changed! I
know that winter is just around the corner,
but so far the weather is OK by me.

Have a GREAT day/week!

Hugs;

Pammie