Five Favorite Fall Things

It's time for some fabulous fall things that I love.

1. Fall mugs and beverages. This is one of my favorite mugs, it is a pumpkin that my Godmother gave to me when I was in college. I also love hot apple cider and pumpkin coffee in any way, shape or form.

2. Fall cooking. I love roasting vegetables. This includes squash of all kinds.

3. Fall baking. I suppose I could put this in with number 2 but it is really it's own category. I mean, pumpkin muffing, pumpkin cheesecake, apple crisp, apple or pumpkin anything... for example, Apple Dumplings.

4. The clothes. I love wearing sweaters and boots and scarves, etc.

5. Leaves changing. This is one of my all time favorite things. I love when the leaves change colors and the drive to work is so much prettier when the leaves are bright red, orange or yellow. 

http://gardentherapy.ca/the-fall-foliage-of-vermonts-green-mountains/

What are your favorite things about fall?

Stuffed Delicata Squash

This is a SUPER easy recipe and really yummy. 

Step 1: Wash the squash really well. Cut off the ends, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.

Place the halves in a baking dish.

Toss together what you want to stuff the squash with. I used some mild italian sausage I had already cooked, some onion, carrots and celery. Toss in some olive oil too.

Put the stuffing into the squash, and place in a 400 degree oven.

Some tips for next time I make this:
1. Cover the dish if the meat is already cooked, otherwise it may burn slightly.

2. You can eat the skin so make sure you wash it really, really well. The skin becomes soft and really good actually.

3. I might add some egg and flour or breadcrumbs to hold the stuffing together a little more.

Overall, it was really yummy. The hubs ate at least 3 while I ate one and had some leftovers the next few days for lunch.

Been Busy

Lately, the Hubs and I have been busy welcoming our newest nephew into the world. He was born on September 3 and is already SO much bigger. It has been so wonderful to spend a few weekends with this little guy and his two siblings. New babies just seem so wonderful :)  Enjoy these pictures of the aunt and uncle and the little bundle of joy!

Dinner Tonight

Here's what's for dinner tonight: 

Homemade marinara sauce

 I need to get better at taking pictures as I go. I keep thinking to take a picture after I make something but this was SO easy. I got some biscuit dough, and cooked up some sausage, then had some string cheese.  You flatten out the biscuit dough place some cheese and sausage in the middle and then pinch the bottom together. Then you place them in a pie dish. Once the dish is full, I used 2 cans of the small biscuit dough, then I put some cooking spray over the top, sprinkled garlic powder, oregano and basil on top, popped it in the oven at 400 for about 10-12 minutes and got this!

Pizza pull apart bread

Next up, I bought this vase at Target on clearance. I really liked it in the store and thought I could do some cool thing with it but now I'm trying to figure out where to put it. I guess I just need some great flowers to put in it... What do ya'll think?

Writing Focus

The Common Core focuses a LOT on writing. Our County, focuses a LOT on writing. Our curriculum includes two full days out of every 7 day cycle of Writing is Fundamental. So many of my students were struggling with writing a draft today and figuring out what to write.

Then it hit me. My mom, who just cleaned through a TON of stuff that was hiding away in the attic, had sent me home with a ton of my writing journals and pieces from elementary school. Why not use these as some examples to show my students what writing, real, messy, edited, writing looks like. I am going to bring it in to show them but I did scan a few pieces to email to a co-worker to share. I apparently had a very creative imagination as a child.

Take a look:

Good luck deciphering my hand-writing! 

Is Life Too Busy?

One thing that I have been learning is to cherish the little moments. With this year being so busy, school is starting, two grad classes, a new baby in the family, balancing the hubs new job, small group, etc... the list keeps going. I have often wondered if I am too busy lately. I know I have a lot going on but I feel like I don't know how else to live.

These little moments I have found include simple things like my most recent coffee discovery, Gevalia Chocolate Mocha. This make my morning better. Right now I am sitting on the couch, in a nice cool apartment because the windows have been open all night, with a cup of coffee in hand, writing this blog. To me, there is nothing really better.

I also made my own coffee creamer. It is SO simple I can't believe I've never done it before. All you do is take I can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.) and 1 3/4 cup of milk or cream (I used whatever I had in the fridge). You can also add any flavorings you like (I used almond extract and cinnamon). Then, you shake it up and store it in your fridge.

Last night, I made quiche for the first time. I cheated and bought a store bought crust but I figured its okay. I've done so much on my own this week, including homemade tomato soup (post and recipe coming soon). It was so easy to do, I found a recipe online for a basic quiche and added my own ingredients. I can't believe there are only 3 or 4 eggs in the whole thing! I added cooked bacon, cheese and broccoli. It was so good. The hubs ate 2 pieces.

I have found a way to balance it all and perhaps find the time to recharge by cooking and enjoying coffee. How do you find a break in the rush of life?

Migraines...

Well, the past two days I have had a massive migraine, the kind that my meds don't help and put me on the couch for two days. I realized that I am an awful blogger. Between school starting and classes for grad school starting and a new nephew, I am tired.

Alright, I have a new nephew! I can't wait to see him later this week. He is the hubby's sister's 3rd babe. I am so blessed to have been part of their life so far and cannot wait to be part of this little guys life too.

So the only thing that has been helping with this migraine is a cold pack... The other thing is a really hot shower with water beating on my neck but that isn't always possible and I have not had the energy for that. Hopefully this migraine goes away tonight while I sleep so I can have some relief.

There are some more things to come, more posts, I promise.