Apple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Danish

Happy Monday! Head on over to Rustic Joyful Food and check out these amazing Apple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Danish I made for a guest blog post on Danielle's site. They are the perfect Fall treat for brunch with friends or to snack on all day long because you need them!

Danielle of Rustic Joyful Food is beyond talented and has her own cook book that you can buy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, it is a must have for your kitchen!!

You've been BOO'D

October is almost over and pretty soon Thanksgiving will be here and then Christmas! But before I think about all that, lets stick with the holidays in order! I love getting crafty and making each holiday fun for my son. We do our annual Harvest Party every year to kick of the Fall season and to get Trick or Treat ready last year Blake & I started the tradition of Booing our neighbors. You are technically only suppose to do 1 or 2 neighbors if you are the one who starts it, but I wanted to make more baskets for pictures and when I asked Blake who he wanted to BOO the list was long!!! So we narrowed it down to 4!

You can get this fun printable over at Just a Little Sparkle. They also have  many other You've Been BOOD printable on pinterest. Also I have seen You've been Boooz'ed which is pretty cute and fun for the adults or maybe a neighbor who has no children and would enjoy a bottle of wine. 

First we started with our favorite candy. My son has been singing the Kit Kat song every time he wants one, its pretty cute. Twix I mean its a tie up there with a Kit Kat bar, I am not sure which one I could choose. Then a good ole Mr. Goodbar, chocolate and peanuts, its the perfect combination.

We made Oreo Truffles that are amazing. If you have not had them before you must make them! They are a rich and decadent treat, perfect with your morning coffee if you are okay with sweets and coffee. I think its perfectly acceptable...

Blake LOVES to make rice krispie treats he is amazing at stirring and spreading the sprinkles on top! I always try to get him involved when we are making things for others, it makes it so much fun for him and extra special.

Instead of going through the trouble of making Caramel apples I bought packaged caramel stuck in an apple and wrapped it up cute, so much easier!!

So get out there and go BOO your neighbors or that special family in your life that you know would just love it or needs an extra dose of love, joy, and chocolate in this sometimes stressful life. Blake did AMAZING Booing this year, he wanted to do it all by himself. He would set the basket down knock and run quickly away! It was a blast, he wanted to Boo more and more but I told him we did have to leave some neighbors un-boo'd so others could Boo back. Maybe next year we will understand that a little better!

Here is the printable we used last year You've been Boo'D!!! Enjoy these last days of October, the air is getting colder and I am excited to bundle up and go on cold weather runs.

Time Saving Shredded Chicken for the Freezer

Happy Monday! I am excited over here because the mornings are really starting to scream fall and sweaters are becoming a thing I can wear without sweating in the afternoon from the beautiful sunshine and warmth. While we are having an exceptional start to fall the true born and raised PNW girl is coming out and ready for fall. I sit here with my UGG slippers finally on my feet and a hot tea to my right. Fall comfort meals for me bring an abundance of recipes that call for shredded chicken and I love to have it on hand quick and easy. There are two methods I use for always having shredded chicken on hand. The first is to cook 4 frozen chicken breasts in a crock pot on low, when finished shred and disperse into Ziploc bags for the freezer. This next one I just thought of when I saw that Costco sells there super delicious Rotisserie Chicken shredded for you. Well I can easily shred it and put it into my own bags. Costco's chicken is the best and at the best price of course, grocery stores offer there Rotisserie 2 maybe 3 dollars more and it is smaller! Costco for the win every time! Plus you will have the added bonus of the dark and white meat in your casseroles and dishes versus just the chicken breasts in the crock pot.

Start out with 2 or 3 Rotisserie Chickens from Costco or where ever you wish to buy them and start shredding up your chicken with your hands(I ALWAYS wear gloves when handling any meat product, its just a thing I have with touching meat) and measure the shredded chicken into 1 cup portions. I actually get a little over 2 1/2 cups of meat. So I do two Ziploc with 1 cup each and a third with 1/2 cup of shredded chicken. Most of my recipes call for either 2, 2 1/2, maybe 3 cups of shredded chicken so its nice to have the extra half cup just in case. So on the day of cooking one less thing to measure and one less dish to dirty is a joy. Doing dishes is a love/hate relationship I have, I make a disaster while cooking but can't handle a messy kitchen with lots of dishes in the sink. Anything to cut a dish or two and I am all for it!!

I used two chickens and got 5 cups of shredded chicken. I have already used 2 cups and they were perfect in the casserole!

Squeeze all the air out  and zip them up. I like to double baggie them, so its keeps the small Ziploc neat in the freezer. Write you date and just pop them out on the day you need! Here are some of my favorite dishes that call for shredded chicken...ENJOY!!!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Chicken Roasted Veggie Mac & Cheese

Cheesy Spicy Ranch Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I was very busy around here cooking and decorating for our annual harvest party we host. Here is a small peek at the yummy treats prepared.

APPLE PIE...a family favorite growing up in my family and a must all fall and winter long or anytime really. There is no wrong time for an apple pie. I made 4 apple pies, 2 traditional, 1 crumb top and bottom, and 1 more that had a crust bottom with an amazing crumb top and a homemade Carmel top, oh MY it was good. I will be sharing it SOON!! 

2 Pecan Pies, because well Pecan Pie is simply AMAZING!! Pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese frosting, gingersnaps, and Apple doodles. All things that to me scream Fall!! Thank you for stopping by today...enjoy your sweaters, warm drinks, cozy fires(I need to go to my dads house for a wood burning fire that crackles and smells wonderful), beautiful falling leaves, caterpillar hunting with your little ones, and a fresh crisp fall air!!

Fall Parties & Decor

Fall is officially upon us!!! I LOVE Fall...it represents so many wonderful things to me; crisp mornings, sweaters, falling leaves, our sunset maples changing colors, boots, hot apple cider(I love it from Starbucks without the Carmel, yes without, just try it steamed cider), pumpkins(all things pumpkin, bread, pie, muffins, cupcakes, pastas, bagels, cream cheese, giant pumpkins), cinnamon, the season of thanksgiving, blessing others, my son getting excited to dress up for Halloween, football, and the list goes on. I won't go and say fall is my absolute favorite season but I think its a tie with Winter and Summer. 

I love going through Pinterest and pinning all the gorgeous Pottery barn style front porches and decor. Today in honor of fall I thought I would share with you some of my fall decor and party pictures. I love a good fall party, it has to of course be planned around a major football game, before hunting season, and before we loose all hope of a good sunshine filled weekend. So we plan our party the first weekend in October, hunting season is the second, and always on a Saturday, to avoid any NFL games on Sunday, so my little sister can come home from college if she is able, and we can always still have college football on for the Dad's and grandpas who wish to check on the score;) For us we love to kick of the season with a gathering of our friends and let the kids and adults have a great time!!

Two years ago I did a Chili bar and I got the idea from the Pioneer Woman, you choose your chip preference, put all the fillings in your bag, and just walk around with it! I love the idea and am going to do it again this year along with another fabulous idea I have in the works to add. I did chili and then I did a turkey taco chili for any non meat eaters in attendance. I always try and make sure I have something for everyone.

My desert table is the place I love to keep it simple yet dressed up, each year I feel my style because a little more simple, rustic, and antique. I have a big box of fall decor that I just no longer like...I am IN love with my antique pie holder! I love pies and they are beautiful by them selves. I made my Fabric Garland last year for the party and love that I get to use it again! Hand making a new decoration each year is my favorite. 

We have some fun games lined up for the kids and we usually start out with the balloon dart pumpkin. My husband is a trooper and fills each balloon with candy(which is not an easy task) and makes this pumpkin for the party every year, its a huge hit!! We also do a pumpkin slingshot, and then we have the hay pile....

Each year the kids have tons of fun digging through it and finding all the treasures. This year however I will need to make it bigger and have some of the big kids help the little ones out, I am thinking 10 and under is a good age range for this game!

As you can see gunny sack races are perfect for both kids and adults, I have some pretty awesome diving pictures. Everyone has a blast!! My son is so excited about this, I think it is his favorite, he keeps telling me its not party time till the finish line is set up:) He loves to run back and forth with the groups of racers!

Apple boobing...what kid doesn't love the thrill of getting their head soaking wet and trying to get the apple out! all in all its a great party! In any party planning it takes a lot of work and preparation. I can not take much credit for the games, that is all my husband, he takes full control of that and its perfect. I take care of the decor, food, and presentation and he keeps the party rolling with entertainment. We work as a great team and each year it gets a little better and a little bigger! I am so grateful for all my amazing family and friends who help out so much to help make this party amazing!

So weather you like to go to others parties, are thinking about starting your own fall party, or looking to add a few ides to a party you do, I hope you enjoyed some of our fun games and decor at our Annual Harvest Party.

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Friday Night Lights, Farmers Markets, and a Family Friendly Meal

We are having yet another exceptional summer in Washington State! While part of me is ready for all things fall I still love this burst of heat we are receiving! We went to the local farmers market this weekend and I purchased the above beautiful flowers! Sunflowers are my absolute favorite!!!! Mixed with some beautiful Dahlias and it brings a smile every time I see them. They were also the flowers I had in my wedding. I just love farmers markets, all the fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, homemade items, and fresh homemade PASTA!!! Let me tell you the homemade pasta and ravioli is AMAZING!!! One of the main reasons I wanted to go down, maybe it is from my childhood memories of my mom making homemade pasta and/or just how amazing it tastes! Needless to say I purchased some chipotle pepper pasta(so good) and some wonderful ravioli flavors including a butternut squash and asiago one that is out of this world good!! I also found this Rosemary scone that was so moist, so buttery...perfection!! Then I went home and ran 7 miles because all those carbs require you to run a lot to work them off. Carbs are amazing...how come my metabolism cant function like it did when I was 16?!? 

Our neighbors invited us to the local High school Football game Friday night and it just so happens they were playing my Alumni School, our nephew's are on the team, and my cousins son (who is a stud running back) are on the team! Our nephew cleared the way blocking the lineman as my cousins son was able to run it in for the touchdown! My Alumni won the game and my cousins son even had an article about him in the paper, "Terhune is so good, he is bad..." :) :)!!  It was a gorgeous night for a football game!!

There is something about a high school football game that I never noticed as a high school student. My perspective has changed a bit, seeing the excitement of my son with all the kids around, he so desperately wanted to sit by the big kids, Hayden and his friends:) Seeing the kids running around on the sides of the field having fun, and the parents not needing to worry, the interaction between the girls and the boys, the adults who come just to watch because they love football and the parents & grandparents cheering the kids on! The band and the young girls who want to cheer just like the high school cheerleaders! It was a fun night and I look forward to more Friday Night Lights! 

My sweet boy had to have his head in the photo;) When Blake was a little over 2 years of age he decided he no longer wanted to eat most things I made, lasagna he would gobble up, no thanks mama! It was a bitter battle until he recently turned 4 and his appetite is BACK!! Eating most things I make and has been trying new things! This meal gets his tummy nice and full, he eats it up with no fight and it has chicken(which used to be a big battle) in it!! Let me tell you as a lady who loves to cook for my family it has been a huge breath of fresh air! I honestly thought that there would be no hope for me, but to any moms who are struggling with a picky eater, it gets better and I hope it keeps getting better:)! This dish is super simple, you toss the chicken in the crock pot in the morning and then cook the rice in the evening. You can make these as simple or add as much to them as you like!

Cafe Rio Chicken Rice Bowls:

8 oz Italian Dressing (around half the bottle)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
4 frozen chicken breasts

1.Mix cumin, chili powder, and dressing in a bowl.
2. Place frozen chicken breasts in crock-pot.
3. Pour dressing mixture over chicken.
4. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 7 to 8. (i find I always shred mine around the 7 hour) Shred chicken in the crock-pot and mix well.

2 cups cooked brown rice(or the grain your family loves best)
2-3 ears of corn cooked (if corn is not in season you could either cook up some canned corn or frozen)
Shredded Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese
Ranch Dressing
Optional Ingredients:
Shredded Kale or Lettuce
Black Beans
tomatoes
Jalapenos

Assemble:
For my little one I do rice, chicken, corn, cheddar cheese, and a little bit of ranch mix it all together and he is a happy eater!!
Mix it all up to your desire and enjoy!!

I always have extra chicken so I freeze it in Ziploc containers, usually 1 cup in each Ziploc. That way on nights when I am making something I know my son will not eat and I take this out of the freezer and make his own rice bowl! Its perfect or you can toss it on a salad for a healthy lunch one day!!

Enjoy!