Pumpkin Dip!

I promise I will stop writing about pumpkins after this post. I will not even mention the word pumpkin until next Fall. Well, actually, I need to share my recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce with you. Then I will be done. I swear. I will keep my pumpkin-musings to myself.

My friend, Janet, knows my love for all-things-pumpkin reaches deep and wide, so she was kind enough to send over a Pumpkin Dip recipe for me to sample from this website:

Pumpkin Dip!

As always, I modified the recipe a little bit.  First, I cut the entire recipe in half because I find that 16 oz of cool whip is a little aggressive, besides the fact that all leftovers will come into my house, and in turn, into my belly, and in turn, onto my thighs.  Secondly, I didn't have pumpkin pie spice, so I used cinnamon, ginger, and all-spice.  I also probably used more than the 1/2 TBSP that the recipe calls for (if you half the recipe, this would be 1/4 TBSP).  I didn't measure... I just sprinkled, stirred, and tasted until it made my taste buds dance.

I plan on serving the dip with ginger snaps, which I completely forgot at the grocery store this afternoon as I tried to not get trampled.  So I will be roaming the roads tomorrow morning for an open grocery store, in search of the ginger snaps. The recipe talks about serving with nilla wafers and apple slices; neither of which sound good enough for me.

Lastly, I bought these baby pumpkins from the grocery and they have been sitting happily on my kitchen window sill since back before Halloween.

I have been feeling angst about throwing them out after tomorrow's holiday because they are just so darn cute.  So now, I don't have to feel totally bad about throwing out perfectly good pumpkins because I plan on hollowing them out to hold the dip. How clever.

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving holiday!

Frenzy to the Finish Line

Life is busy these days. It’s the Frenzy to the Finish Line. The time of year where stress levels are at an all-time high, and I tend to lean on my horn while driving a lot more frequently (not in a nice way).

My Recreational ADD has gotten the best of me, and I have neglected blogging.  My To-Do lists seem to get longer and longer, regardless of how much time I spend checking things off. Work has been demanding with the year-end push to get those final sales on the books, with a smidgen of overnight travel mixed in.  And when I leave work in the evenings and it's nearly dark out, I feel like I am rushing to one meeting or another, preparing for Junior League Holiday Market, or fighting crowds in the grocery store because I forgot a few items during my weekly shopping trip.  Some days, I feel like all I do is rush around and accomplish absolutely nothing.  Our dry-cleaning pile has overcome our poor closet (As I was sorting through it yesterday, David and I both discovered clothing that we had forgotten we owned. It was half- embarrassing/half-exciting.) I have made feeble attempts at getting the house cleaned up and ready for Christmas decorations: D-Day (Decoration Day) is looming.  I’ve got list upon list of ideas on what gifts to buy family & friends. I fought an exasperating battle with our washing machine the other night, as she refused to enter her Final Spin cycle. (And it was just my luck that I had the most absorbent items in our house in there.  Super fluffy bath towels & a bath mat.  When I say that they held about 30 lbs of water, I am not exaggerating.  Thank goodness for Mom & Dad living close-by with a fully-functioning washing machine! And thank goodness for a wonderful husband who can magically fix these sorts of things without a repairman!)  Also, we are doing some exterior painting to our house, somewhat unexpectedly (more on this to come). I haven’t been to the gym in over a month and a half, simply because I can’t make the time. (Unless, of course, I went at 6 AM. I'll pass.).

I don't want anyone to think I am complaining because I am not.  If I was complaining, don’t worry, you’d know it.  I can be quite proficient at whining. I have a great life that I am so very grateful for, and I am sure my daily struggles pale in comparison to others'.

My point in all of this, is that the one time of year where we are supposed to slow down, reflect, and give thanks, seems to get steam-rolled by the Christmas rush and other year-end commitments.  The Christmas “season” starts earlier and earlier each year, and the importance of Thanksgiving fades into the background as we are inundated by constant holiday commercials on TV, glitzy decorations in stores, and our Christmas To-Do lists.  So, this year, I plan on pausing and giving Thanksgiving it’s fair due.

There is so much in my life to be thankful for. It’s such a humbling experience to take a few moments and really reflect on how fortunate and blessed we are.  I won't create some long list for you of everything I am thankful for because it would take forever, and I am sure you probably aren't interested (although, I must mention how thankful I am for chocolate. Chocolate, I can't make it through a day with you).  But seriously, if you sit down and make a list of all the things in your life that you are thankful for, the petty issues and fretting that consumes us on a daily basis becomes so unimportant.

My grandfather, Papa, has a saying and it sums it all up for me.  He always says, “All you really need in life is faith, family, and a few close friends. If you've got that, what else can you ask for?”

These three seemingly simple words are the cornerstone of what makes my life meaningful.  So, this holiday season, I am not going to have a panic attack if the laundry doesn’t get folded until tomorrow, or we eat soup out of a can for dinner 3 nights in a row, or I get stuck in traffic for 25 minutes on Forest Drive.  I am not going to glance at my watch while I am out on a weeknight with friends because I am afraid I will be tired the next day by missing my “bedtime."  I am not going to hurry to get off the phone with my mother because I am sitting in my car in the Target parking lot and am ready to go inside.  I am going to spend time with my family and friends and be fully in the moment, instead of letting the stresses of the season steal the true meaning of it all.

Faith. Family. Friends. And a good dog, of course.

Let’s give thanks.

Friday's Favorites: Mish-Mash.

Today's Friday's Favorites is a mish-mash of things I love because I couldn't decide on just one.

1) America.  Today is Veterans' Day and it is always a poignant reminder to me how fortunate I am to live in the good old U S of A.  I am so grateful for our Armed Forces who make tremendous sacrifices for all of us, each and every day.  These men and women tear themselves away from their spouses, sweet little children, parents, and everything else familiar, for the sole reason that they desire to protect our great nation.  In my personal opinion, I cannot think of a more admirable occupation. So, from me to you-- thank you to all of our military. Your hard work and sacrifices do not go unnoticed. Thank you to all the families who have sleepless nights while a loved one is fighting abroad, have moved half of dozen times from one base to another, and who give love and support to their men & women in uniform. You are in our prayers daily.  God Bless America!

2) Days off Work. The bank is closed on Veterans' Day, so it's a holiday for me!  These types of holidays are one of my favorites (really, I love any and every holiday though) because it's more of a "catch up" day for me.  This morning, I have already been to Target and Publix, baked some goodness (see #3), watched the Today Show, folded some laundry, and made a list of the Christmas decorations I need to buy.  I'd say that's considerably impressive since the clock just hit 11 AM.  When the rest of the working world punches the clock at 5 today, I will have already completed all my weekend errands, meaning the rest of the weekend is mine. All mine.

3) Pumpkins. I love anything and everything pumpkin.  Pumpkin-spiced lattes. Pumpkin Bread. Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin Gelato. Pumpkin soup. Pretty much, if you put some pumpkin in it, I will eat it. No complaints.  Last night, my book club (I realize this sounds so incredibly dorky, so just go with it) had an outing (see #4) and we grabbed dinner at Hunter Gatherer beforehand.  Their special dessert was Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce (My mouth starts to water just typing that out). I didn't try theirs, but I just couldn't get it off my mind (food has a tendency to hijack my thoughts quite often), so when my eyes flew open this morning and my tummy growled, I knew I was going to have to make my own.   After researching some recipes on the internet, I didn't find any that looked delicious and fatty enough, so (like the chili a few weeks ago), I decided to be adventurous and create my own.  The bread cubes are soaking up their special sauce right now, and after she bakes up all golden & delicious this afternoon, if she is any good, I'll post the recipe on here...  If she's bad, I'll never speak of this again.

4) When a movie based on a book is just as good as the book.  My book club recently read Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, and I discovered that the movie Sarah's Key was playing at the Nickelodeon Theater this week only. We decided to go grab dinner and see the movie.  So, if you were wondering if we were actually intellectual (read: dorky) enough to have regular Book Club outings in addition to meeting each month, the answer is no. We're not that cerebral, but I will say, it was a ton of fun! I digress. Sarah's Key was a great book. Not my absolute favorite book ever, but definitely worth reading if you are looking for a thought-provoking, quick read.  What I loved most about Sarah's Key is that as I left the movie last night, I was not at all disappointed that the movie didn't match the book, as I usually am with these sorts of films (The Nanny Diaries was the most disappointing one for me, to date.) Sure, the movie left out some details and changed some events around for cinematic purposes, but it was fantastic! I really feel as though the movie enhanced my opinion of the book, and I enjoyed both the book and the movie equally, which I feel is very rare.  I think every one else agreed, as well.  So, if you have a chance, read Sarah's Key, but if you are not a "reader", the movie is great, too!  It's an Indie film, so not sure if it's on NetFlix or not...

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

I hear the secrets that you keep...

...when you're talking in your sleep.

I have been know to chat it up while I am sleeping. In my college dorm room days, roommates would tell me all about the crazy things that I would mumble in my sleep, and I even went sleep-walking once my freshman year.  When Jenna asked me what I was doing shuffling around in the mini-fridge in our room in the middle of the night, I replied "I forgot to brush my teeth." Uh, yeah.

And now that I have a constant bed-fellow (who stays up watching tv in bed much later than my 10 pm bedtime), I usually get a play-by-play the following day of the things that I mutter while I get my beauty rest.  Usually, my ramblings don't make much sense and they are more gibberish than anything. However, Friday night was my shining moment.

David and I went to sleep at an embarassingly early hour on Friday night.  I was a few glasses deep into the red wine and couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, so to bed we went.  David's recount of the story is that shortly after I had fallen asleep, I was asleep on my side, facing him, where the light from the tv was shining on my face, and he said that all of a sudden, I spoke loudly and clear as a bell, "Do you want me to hold the pistol?"

He said that he looked at me and saw that I was dead-asleep, so he asked me "What pistol?" and I replied, "Well, ok then, I will just work the list at the door."  Then I had no more to say.  I guess I had already started working the list at the door in my dreamland, probably pissed off at whoever wouldn't let me hold the pistol.

Apparently, I was in the role of an undercover agent, or a club bouncer, or maybe I was an undercover agent posing as a club bouncer (Law and Order-esque). Or even just a club bouncer in a sketchy neighborhood where firearms are a necessary evil.  Regardless, it gave David a good laugh, and I love to hear about the wild & random second-life I lead each night...

Do any of you sleep-talk or sleep-walk and say/do random/weird things??

Friday's Favorite Things: Haircuts.

Keeping up with the Friday’s Favorites theme, I am going to share with you something that I usually consider to be a Zen-like experience.  Haircuts.  J'adore. I believe there are 4 stages of the haircut, and I do love all of them.

Stage 1: Wash. The shampooing of the tresses just might be the best part of the entire Hair Experience.  The shampoo always smells better than your own, even if it’s the exact same one that you use at home. It’s like how sandwiches always taste better when your mom makes them.  Having someone wash your hair for you just feels better.  You can massage your own head in the shower until your hair is a rat’s nest of tangles, but it’s like tickling yourself. It just doesn’t work.  One day, when I am drippingly wealthy (yes, drippingly), I will have a dedicated shampoo station in my grandiose bathroom with a nice lady who washes my hair for me at least once daily.

Stage 2: Cut. The actual cutting of the hair is captivating for Type-A’s like myself, who enjoy watching their hair snipped off evenly.  Ooooo, and when she pulls the two sides around to the front of my face to make sure that the sides' lengths match perfectly—that is the crowning moment. Total fulfillment for the Perfectionist.

Stage 3: Style.  The warmth and hum of the blow-dryer lulls me into a sleepy trance.  I always take mental notes on how she holds the brush and gets the ends to curl under so nicely, even though it isn’t quite that easy when I attempt it at home by myself.

Stage 4: Transformation. Walking out of the salon, I have this 6th sense that everyone is looking at me and thinking “That girl just got her hair cut”, even though I am 98% sure that this isn't true.  It almost makes me a little self-conscious... Then once I get in the car, I like to give myself a once over in the mirror and then I drive off, knowing that my hair will not look that good again until the next time I visit Leslie.

And while usually, my visits with Leslie are something I look forward to, yesterday, I perched nervously on my beloved hair-stylist’s chair and allowed her sever 6 inches off of my mane.  The anxiety I created for myself over this situation was unreal.  Sweaty palms. Dazed. I couldn’t concentrate on anything she was talking to me about.  You would have thought that I was about to get a cavity filled.  When she was combing through my squeaky clean hair, she said “You have about 2 minutes left to change your mind.”  I knew I was being completely ridiculous. I trusted this girl with my hair on my wedding day, for Goodness Sakes, so I just blurted out “Cut the whole damn thing off before I change my mind.”  And so she did.

I’ve had shorter hair most of my life, so it’s not that I am unaccustomed to having a pixie ‘do. It was just the raw realization of the temporary-permanence (wouldn't this be considered an oxymoron?) of shearing off the locks that it took a solid year and a half to grow (with a trim here and there).  In the past, when my long-haired friends were getting their hair cut, I remember them expressing apprehension over 2 inches being cut off.  I would scoff at them, thinking they were being petty and ridiculous.  Well, now I truly understand the angst of the situation.  I have now felt the pain of being a long-haired girl in the barber’s chair with nothing but a pair of scissors separating you and Ellen DeGeneres.

 I am a huge Ellen fan by the way. The person. Not the hairstyle.

However, now that the trauma is over, I am actually enjoying the bob.  It just brushes the tops of my shoulders, and she gave me some killer side bangs that completely hinder the vision in my right eye, but hey, it's all for the sake of beauty, right??

However, one of my acquired habits had become split-end picking (especially during boring conference calls and overly long Junior League meetings), and I keep grabbing for my hair, but now there is nothing there to grab. I am going to need a new habit...

I told someone yesterday that I felt as if I was physically lighter since I have less hair, and they laughed, raising their eyebrows doubtfully with a patronizing smile.  But, as of approximately 7:45 this morning, I weighed 0.4 pounds less than yesterday morning.  Booyah! If I had known hair weighed something substantial, I’d have shaved my entire head.

Happy Friday!

Just toss it all in there...

I am quite a fan of chili on snowy days and cold nights.  In the mountains this past weekend, Kristin's husband, Scott, made white bean turkey chili that was to die for.  I am pretty sure it was a secret recipe and I don't know what he put in it (I heard him mumble something about hominy?), but it was absolutely magical.  A party in my mouth.  I would have gone back for seconds, but that huge pot of heaven was all gone in about 5 minutes, and I don't believe that Scott even got a bowl-full of his own masterpiece. We should all be ashamed of ourselves.

After having such a flavorsome dinner on Saturday night, I made up my mind that I would attempt a white bean turkey chili myself for David and I to enjoy Halloween night while passing out candy to the kiddies.  I spent a solid hour on the internet Sunday afternoon researching white bean turkey chili recipes and was completely overwhelmed.  How do you KNOW what the perfect combination of ingredients is that will make a chili impeccable?  I was at an utter loss. But I figured that while it is pretty hard to make your chili the very best, it is also pretty hard to completely screw it up.  So, I called off the search and ventured into uncharted territory.

My personal food critic says that this chili wound up pretty darn good, and I would have to agree. However, my personal food critic also has to live with me, so if he knows what's good for him, he'll smile and choke down whatever I slop on his plate. "You will eat this and you will like it!"

Juuuust kidding.

I am going to share my chili recipe with you, if you get a hankering for it anytime soon.  The best part about this recipe is that besides browning the ground turkey, you just toss it all in a crock pot and let it cook itself.

Ingredients:
2.50 lbs extra lean ground turkey breast (I used two 1.25 lb. packages of Jennie O)
3 16 oz. cans of Navy Beans (rinsed & drained)
1 4 oz. can of diced green chilis (drained)
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. oregano
dash of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
cornstarch


Here she goes...
Pour a bit of EVOO in a pan and chunk the ground turkey, garlic, and diced onions in there.  Let them simmer until the turkey is browned.

Meanwhile, drain & rise your beans...

Then dump them in the crock pot with the green chilis...

I realize these pictures are UBER boring. Chili-making is not the most interesting photographic subject matter.


Drain your turkey and dump it in the crock pot on top of the beans.  Then add in the salt, ground cumin, ground white pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and a dash of cinnamon (I got a little adventurous with the cinnamon, but it really does add a nice flavor. However, if you are a purist, just leave it out.)

Give her a really good stir while adding in your chicken broth and then tuck 2 bay leaves on top...

Now you can let her rest for between 3-8 hours on low.  I prepared the chili at lunch and let her simmer all afternoon... Around 8 hours in total cooking time.

And of course, the heat of your chili is a personal preference, so add in more spice after taste-testing...  I think I added a little more salt, cumin, and cayenne...
Also, if your chili looks too runny for your liking (I like my chili thick and creamy), then add in a tablespoon of cornstarch before you serve to thicken it up...

My Favorite Toppings:
Shredded Sharp Cheddar
Sour Cream
Cilantro
And my personal favorite, Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce
*I usually love cornbread with my chili, but alas, I was too lazy to take myself to the store to get some*

If you happen to give this one a whirl, please let me know what you think!