Pumpkin Carving Party 2016

We had our annual pumpkin carving party on Saturday evening. It's always in Vern and Shelly's party barn and some of the food is traditional too.  This year the mamas were tired so we made some of appetizers and then made pizza.  We brought our Pizza Que. I'll write about the evening, but first a recipe.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts 

 1 lb. of bacon (thin)

2 cans of whole water chestnuts, drained

1 cup of ketchup

2 heaping T. of brown sugar

BBQ sauce, I usually just add a couple of glugs 

Fresh ground pepper, I like a lot

Cut the bacon strips in half, lay them on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool on paper towels.

Wrap the cooled bacon around the chestnut and secure with a tooth pick.

I put them in a baking dish that I have sprayed with Pam.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  At this point the sauce goes on the bacon wrapped chestnuts.  Because I don't like to get the tooth picks all sticky and messy with the sauce I use my turkey baster to add the sauce.

They can be assembled to this point and then refrigerated until the party. 

I bake them at 400 degrees, check after 20 minutes.  I like to cook until the sauce gets caramelized and the bacon is well done.

I don't have a photo of them ready to eat because I'm not that fast.  Once you put them out to share they go quickly.  Especially if Sam is at your party.

I baked a pumpkin roll.  Honestly, it was probably one of my prettier ones so I am sharing a photo.  Sometimes they stick to the pan or crack and need repairs but this time she was pretty.

I whipped up a Death by Chocolate pumpkin patch too.

HGTV was sharing a Hallo-Wine pumpkin last week.  I didn't feel like carving so I used a plastic pumpkin instead of a real one.  A mix of black letters from my scrap booking stash and I was good to go.  Now I can use it for years instead of throwing on the compost pile.  I added a flat ice pack and a bag of Chardonnay. 

 Here's a little secret about our Pumpkin Carving Party... some years we never actually get around to carving pumpkins.  I know, right?

It happens.  This year was one of those years.  Everyone was busy making pizza and chatting.

It's all good.  We're okay with it.

Another Pumpkin Carving Party is in the books.

Have a fun Halloween today, be safe!

Halloween Past

Happy Halloween!

I got a little sentimental this morning thinking about when the guys were little and I was throwing costumes together.  I miss the guys. but I am so happy to have those costume creating days behind me.  The costumes had to be comfortable, warm and their idea.  And they would change their minds until I said NO, you are what we decided yesterday.

The pictures are not in chronological order nor good quality.

I do have a better picture of Danny as a leopard but I can't find it.  Suffice it to say, he was adorable.

The pirates were cute but I think there were a few melt downs when they got their faces washed before bedtime.

 This is where Sam's infamous bat smile began...

 Reptile guy, a crusader and a cowboy.

 Braden was a great little pirate with a cute treat bucket.

 Getting this picture was harder than it looks.

Everyone was jealous of Dakota's Thomas the Train costume.

 An army guys, a nerd and a cowboy.

 Yes, Max was a cowboy every year except for one.  I can't remember why he deviated from his theme but one time he was a pirate.

 This was telling...

Have a fun Halloween, be safe and to all the mamas, good luck making costumes!

Down River

Hubby was off last weekend so we took a little trip.  Our first stop was an RV recycling and parts place in Centralia.  It was kind of a bust for us 

 We had lunch at the Olympic Club in Centralia.  Great history with a hotel, restaurant and theatre.  A little junkin' after lunch and we were on our way.

 Our destination was Jeremy and Rene's float house on the Lewis River.  The girls were out to greet us when we drove up.

Best welcome ever!

 Staying on a float house is a bit like a cruise; however, you're going no where but still on the water.  This was good for me because I do have a history with boating.  Remember these trips?  Fraught. With. Danger.  Staying on the dock here,  here and here and then getting out there.

Sheryl, Shelly and Chris, I did ask Jeremy to explain his electrical system.

 It is so much fun on the dock and we must have looked like we were have fun because these guys going past on their boat couldn't resist stopping and introducing themselves.

 Y'all know how graceful I am.  It was a modern day miracle that I made it to our cottage safely the entire weekend as it was on a separate dock.

After a fat boy breakfast on Saturday morning we put on our barn boots, and crossed the road for the trailer tour.  It is impossible to decide on a favorite. Jeremy and Rene have started  Down River Trailers.  

Jeremy and Rene with their new babies!  It's not a complete family picture though as Tin Lizzie is parked in storage and the Jewel is in the shop. 

We went to visit Jewel and I fell in love.  She has a lot of potential, so I can't wait to see what they do with her.  And she has a pretty, pink stove and fridge.

We drove into town for a craft show and lunch. Someone spotted a Cardinal in the blackberries. Hit the brakes and turn around!

Then it was back for a great evening of  Jeremy's home brewed beer, playing corn hole and the best brisket, ever.

Thank you Jeremy and Rene for a wonderful weekend!  We had the best time and it was fun to meet your new trailers too.

Curried Pumpkin Soup During The Storm that WASN'T

On Saturday evening we celebrated Karen's golden birthday. I'm calling this year our golden birthdays as we turn 58 and we were born in '58. 

 Any excuse for a party.

Saturday was predicted to be very stormy so I chose comfort food for our menu.  For a starter we had curried pumpkin soup.  My sister, Kathi has made this recipe for years and I love this soup in the fall.  I think she got the recipe from a Junior League Cookbook.  Those leaguers always have good recipes.   I served the soup in teacups with pumpkin cranberry crisps and a Darigold sharp white cheddar.

I don't have any pictures of the cooking process.  On Saturday the weathermen were predicting doom and gloom and power outages so I was cooking quickly to have every thing prepped before I was without power.  Of course, now we know it was The Storm that WASN'T.

 Curried Pumpkin Soup

1 large onion, diced

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

3 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups half and half

Sour cream and fresh parsley

In a large saucepan over medium heat saute the diced onions in butter until soft.  Sprinkle in the curry powder. Pour mixture into blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to the sauce pan and add chicken broth, canned pumpkin. salt and half and half.  Heat through over medium heat. Do not bring to a boil or soup will curdle.  Garnish with sour cream and parsley flakes.

 I enjoyed leftover crisps, cheese and soup on Sunday during the Seahawk's game.  The leftover soup reheats nicely.  I am going to get to Trader Joe's for more crisps because they are autumn in your mouth delicious.

 The best part of The Storm that WASN'T was that I bought myself new rain boots.  And that the power didn't go out at our house so I was able to cook the birthday dinner in the house rather than on the BBQ grill and in the trailer.  Annie has a propane oven so that was plan B.  After the soup I served Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli and corn pudding.  I baked an Almond Cream Cake for dessert.  It was a pinterest recipe that was accurate until the frosting.

 I am thankful that there was minimal damage and power outages but honestly, The Storm that WASN'T  was a little bit of a letdown after all of the media hype. If the forecast is correct I will have plenty of opportunities to wear my rain boots this week.

Enjoy the soup recipe and stay dry!

Random Monday

Hubby and I tore into the Curtis Wright last week.  Everything is off the floor.  It feels good to be this far in the going backwards stage however; this is the part where I have misgivings, remorse and trepidation. Completely overwhelmed here.

 One of my jobs is to photograph every inch of the layout so that we can get it all back together.

 Now there is some decison making going on here.  I want tear it to the frame and put down the new subfloor and marmoleum.  Hubby wants to wait until spring.

 It's not been all work and no play here, we had dinner at the Black Forest with our friend, Adelene.  I think that counts as our Octoberfest for the season.

 My new favorite from the grocery store is Greek whipped cream cheese and Greek yogurt.  It's great with a spicy jam and crackers or on bagels.

 I've been pairing it with toasted pumpkin bagels, Liz's blackberry jam and Black Forest ham.  I made up this little sammy and I love it.  It's a bit like turkey and cranberries on a sandwich.

 I've been crafting too.  On November 19th, I'll have a small booth at 'Tis the Season at Van Vino.  I'll post more details later.

 I'll have some train cases and a lot of vintage Christmas.

 I went with an ombre look for one of the wreaths.  It has been fun putting some things together but honestly the whole thing is starting to freak me out.  What if I don't have enough things made?  What if no one buys anything from me?  What if I price it wrong?  What if I can't make my booth look good?  What if ... UGH!

Max came here this weekend.  Bo came along and Bo spent most of the weekend with me.  He is super good in the house.  Oh My, does he shed.  Bo looks like he is suffering from severe depression if Max isn't around but really he had a nice time with me.  And I with him.  Well, except for when I took him for a walk and a squirrel ran across the road.  Then he pulled my arm out of its socket.

A Curtis Wright update, a sandwich recipe, Octoberfest, some crafting and insecurities and a cute dog, that's it.  Pretty random here.

We're all caught up for now.