Take some time to relax

This recipe is probably the most important one I've posted on here! I'll start by saying that I always have had a tinge of guilt when I leave the children to go have some fun...but my husband has shown me that it's very important to do. So tonight's recipe is one that will help you loosen up and get down with yo bad self.

It's called:

Amaretto!

First, take two shots of amaretto and shoot them. Then take a shot of amaretto and mix it with sprite. Drink until you dance like no one is looking! Then pass out.

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE! Much love!

10 things to do with your pumpkin guts and seeds!

So you've carved, scraped, and de-gutted your pumpkin (purely for the kids, no fun for you at all right... ;-p ) and you think, "Do I really have to throw all of this away?" Oh you are such a frugal wonderful mom!!!! Well, I'm here to tell you emphatically NO! Don't throw those guts and seeds away! And to prove how easily you can use those innards (te hehe) I've listed below a bunch of ideas!



Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

By far the most popular thing to do with the left overs...

**Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Separate the seeds from the guts. Using your hands, pick out the seeds and lay them on a buttered or greased baking sheet. Do not rinse them! This removes a lot of the flavor. Bake for 10 minutes. Salt before eating.**



Puking Pumpkin:

For my partier (er...single) friends...

Oh, the guts are making me nauseous. Make a manly pumpkin - er, party pumpkin? Use those guts for a gross, puking pumpkin.







Pumpkin Seed Soap:

For anyone who loves to carve pumpkins, but has no desire to roast and eat the pumpkin seeds, this Halloween craft idea is for you. You can still enjoy the health benefits of pumpkin seeds, when you use them as an exfoliating ingredient in the homemade pumpkin seed soap.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/392022/halloween_crafts_pumpkin_seed_gift.html?cat=24



Pumpkin Seed Pesto: http://www.grouprecipes.com/15042/pumpkin-seed-pesto-with-pumpkin-ravioli.html



Pumpkin Ravioli: (I've made this, in a different way but still yum!) http://www.grouprecipes.com/15046/pumpkin-ravioli.html



Pumpkin Butter: http://www.grouprecipes.com/1446/pumpkin-butter.html



Pumpkin Delight: http://www.grouprecipes.com/3639/pumpkin-delight.html



Pumpkin Pancakes: http://www.grouprecipes.com/3949/pumpkin-pancakes.html



Pumpkin and Spinach Risotto: (for my more ambitious friends) http://www.grouprecipes.com/6819/pumpkin-doughnuts.html



Kids Toy:

Kids love slime and what’s better than organic slime? Mix it with some fake blood to create guts that can be used as part of a costume or just to play with.
Need red dye for your fake blood recipe? Try beet powder + water.





Whatever you do...

...don't put pumpkin guts down the drain!Unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money to have a plumber come and snake out your drains, don't put pumpkin guts down the sink. They harden inside the pipes and cause problems, no doubt just in time for your family to come visit for Thanksgiving. Can you afford not to have a bathroom available on that day??

Little Nibblers and Fondue

One of my favorite things about meal time would have to be getting the kids involved. Dinner is much more fun when everyone has a hand in it. Not only do they eat better, but they see the time and effort it takes to prepare something.

In a world full of convenience foods and fast food joints it's hard to "find the time" to make dinner. There are some days that "Sam's Pizza Shack" or "McFast Fry" is the only place I can think of, but most nights I try my hardest to come up with something new, exciting, and EASY! I'm lucky enough to have some slow days to sit and think about it at work. In my business it's feast or famine. That is why I started my blog. To give other mothers some new ideas, and for them to share some with me.

One of my "go to" staples for an easy and quick dinner is finger food. Nibblers, as we call them in the Hollis house. That can be anything from cubed chicken, to cheese, to fruit kabobs. Anything! I try to always make them well rounded and fun. But I find that if it doesn't look overwhelming, they will eat it!

So tonight we're going to try some fondue. Maybe a meat one, or a cheese one. I haven't decided yet. But this requires some planning and a lunch break trip to the grocery.

If I do a meat fondue then the recipe I'll use is:

8 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of dry white wine. (The alcohol will cook off! You won't have drunk kids). I also through in a few spices.

In a pot, bring the chicken broth and wine to a boil. Transfer to the fondue pot when the broth is boiling.

Then you take whatever veggies, or meats you want and put them on the fondue skewer and place in the stock until cooked through.

If you don't like that recipe, try this one:

Bearnaise Sauce
(4 tbsp)
Dry white wine
(4 tbsp)
Tarragon vinegar
(1 tsp)
Green onions, finely chopped
(1 tsp)
Parsley, finely chopped
(1/4 tsp)
Thyme
(1/4 tsp)
Tarragon
3
Egg yolks
(1/2 cup)
Butter
Salt and pepper
1. In a pot, mix the wine, vinegar, green onions, parsley, thyme and tarragon.
2. Bring to a boil and let boil until reduced by half.
3. Strain the liquid.
4. Let cool.
5. Gradually whisk in the egg yolks and butter.
6. Whisk until desired consistency.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. If prepared ahead of time, keep refrigerated.
9. Serve.


And check out http://www.bestfondue.com/ for more recipes! ENJOY!

Auntrell's Mini Bundt Spice Cakes! Oh My Goodness!

So a friend of mine brought in the most delictable little thing I've ever eaten...I don't know if it's WW approved, but it is Jamie approved!

Mini bundt spice cakes filled with sauteed spiced apples with a brown sugar, vanilla, & cinnamon glaze.

It is just the spice cake mix then you add the sauteed chopped apple (1/2 stick of butter, 1 apple, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, saute until soft). Follow recipe on box for baking. Glaze is 1/2 butter, 1 1/2 cup of white sugar, 3 tbsp of brown sugar, 2 tbspn of imitation vanilla, 1/2 water. Add all ingredients let boil on med-low until thick. Add more sugar to help with thickness. Set aside to cool a little. Then glazed the cake/s when they are cool.

Have I mentioned that she is now the best friend in the entire world?