"I just thought you needed it"

...that was what Mike said to me last night as I come in the door after work and working out to find a dozen roses to greet me, dinner in the oven and a growler of my favorite beer from Granite City poured and waiting in a frosty mug for me- complete with fresh orange slice. Seriously. Nice move hubby :)

apple orchard

These are some pics from our adventure to Wilson's Orchard a couple weekends ago. Mom, Jessie and I took Cale and Ayla apple picking to give their parents a much deserved break and some time with new baby Jonah. We sampled several different kinds of apples, picked out pumpkins, took a tractor ride to the ripe trees and picked 2 baskets full of apples. It was a blast!

camping- just us

2 weekends ago on a Friday after work Mike & I met at our favorite campground to tent camp and relax just the two of us before the weather got too cold. We scavenged for firewood (lots because Mike LOVES huge campfires), cooked hot dogs, drank tequila we bought in Mexico :) and watched the sunset over the reservoir. The next morning we read our books on the rocks, watched a professional wake boarder practice jumps on the water and packed up to go home. Even though it was just one night & day of cozy camping and relaxation it was just the break we needed. We highly recommend it. Happy Weekend everyone!

veggies and stars

This is a picture of my last harvest of tomatoes, green peppers and grape tomatoes. Not nearly as good as the August crop but overall a successfull first vegetable garden. I'm already planning for next year...

This is a picture of our front yard and our little tree that is currently changing into its fall wardrobe. See the star on the garage in the background? I bought that about a year ago and Mike hated the idea immediately so therefore it only took about a year and my winning a bet in order for that baby to make an appearance- nothing like a little sheer determination on my part!

fried green tomatoes

Love the movie, turns out I'm not a huge fan of the actual food. Here is how it went down last night:

Mike would be coming home late from work and this is usually when I experiment with new foods that I know he won't dig. I'm browsing through my trusty Better Homes & Garden Cookbook looking for recipes for the butternut squash I bought the other day when I come across a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes. It just so happens before the first real frost a couple nights ago I picked a couple of good looking green tomatoes from my very own vines along with the rest of my herbs and grape tomatoes. It seemed like the perfect time to try this oddly intriguing recipe. I sliced them up, sprinkled with salt & pepper and let them sit. I proceeded to make homemade bread crumbs (I know!) and assemble the frying assembly line- milk, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs. Heating up the vegetable oil I start dunking, getting excited because I don't think I've ever actually fried anything ever in my own kitchen and I love fried everything- duh, who doesn't? They look delicious and golden brown and I can't wait to dig in. I dug in and....yuck. They were nasty! Must be an acquired taste or something. I will try most foods at least once and this is one of those times. I guess I'm glad I know now and won't wonder if I'm missing out.

chili & football

Yesterday I made a huge batch of chili for an impromptu Sunday Funday Chili & Football Party. It was delish and fun- perfect for a chilly early fall Sunday of lounging and football with friends - despite my Fantasy team's very poor performance.

Here is my very own chili recipe:
2 lbs ground beef- browned
Add to this and saute together with beef:
-several small or a couple larger green peppers, diced
-1 large onion or 2 small, diced
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-about 1 T. pickled jalapenos, minced
-2 envelopes chili seasoning

Add to beef and vegetables:
-2 cans spicy chili beans
-2 OR 3 cans diced tomatoes with chilies
-1 20 oz. can tomato sauce

Bring to simmer and add a couple dashes of Tabasco sauce, an additional 1 T. chili powder, and black pepper to taste.

Add sour cream, cheese and chili cheese Fritos for toppings - enjoy!

new look

When I was little I used to rearrange my room and its layout quite often. I've always liked changing up the scenery- therefore why not with my little blog, too? What do you think of the new look? Thumbs up or down? I'm still not quite sure, so we'll see how long this lasts.

Oktoberfest

Jessie & I co-hosted the first annual All-Girls Oktoberfest Party at my house last weekend- it was hit! The group was small but ready to party and we enjoyed classic German foods such as brats with sauerkraut, homemade pretzels and Amana Millstream Schild Brau Amber beer a-plenty. We played croquet, bocce ball, had paint-your-own beer stein craft time, danced and laughed like crazy. Jessie & I even wore lederhosen outfits that she hand-made for us for Halloween a couple of years ago!

here he is!

Thai Spring Roll Class

Last week Jessie and I took another cooking class at the New Pioneer Co-op- this time we learned to prep and roll Thai Spring Rolls! The variety of ingredients were immense and delicious- we chose from carrots, shrimp, cucumber, avocado, seasoned pork, mango, rice noodles, fresh herbs, etc, all julienned (the hard part) to perfection. We then strategically placed our ingredients along with lettuce (for support) upon rice paper and rolled them up in proper fashion. No cooking (except for the shrimp and pork ahead of time) was necessary and they turned out so cute and yummy- especially with the addition of a couple of homemade dipping sauces. We enjoyed a classic hoisin sauce as well as Thai peanut and coconut sauce with our rolls which made them absolutely delish and refreshing! Thanks Jessie for the pictures and as usual the fun and laughs!

Welcome Jonah!

At 4:51 this morning my newest nephew entered the world, weighing in at 8 lbs 4 oz and 21 inches. The word on the street is that he has dark hair, a scrunched up nose and loves to suck on his fist. I love him so much already and we haven't even met. I can't wait til tonight when we get the chance! Welcome to the world and the family, Jonah.

lead foot

You know that feeling when you pass the cop on the road and immediately look in your rear-view mirror to see if the lights come on? Yeah, that happened to me on the way home from the gym the other night. But for the first time in my life I got a WARNING and not a ticket! Sweet relief!