Times they are a changin'...FALL FUN AHEAD

Busy, Busy, Busy...

The Minnesota State Fair just closed their gates, and the weather is a changin'!  It is that wonderful time of year.  Warm and beautiful during the day, cool and brisk at night. Football games, apple picking, pumpkin patches and corn mazes.

Now, my little pumpkins are not in school yet, they will be three at the end of October, but...I still feel the excited in the change of seasons. 

This Fall I wanted to make a Fall Bucket List.  Have you seen these lists hanging out around pinterest?  If not, they are adorable, I am super excited to make mine.  Keep reading to end the suspense that I am sure you are feeling right now..duh da dah..

Twin Cities Fall Bucket List:

1.  Twin Cities Corn Maze  http://www.twincitiesmaze.com/
2.  Apple Jacks Apple Picking http://www.applejackorchards.com/
3.  Jumping in the leaves, photo opps with the kiddos
4.  See a Football game
5.  Hay rides
6.  Bonfire with S'mores
7.  Pumpkin Express Train Ride http://www.trainride.org/oscv.shtml#pumpkin
8.  Nature walk with Leaf art http://www.bloombakecreate.com/2011/05/hammered-leaves-art/
9.  ScareCrow Festival http://emmakrumbees.com/scarecrow-festival/
10.  Bake a treat with the apples you just picked from #2: a pie, crockpot applesauce, cobbler
11.  Play a neighborhood football game (start a tradition)
12.  Not so Scary: Como Zoo Boo http://www.comozooconservatory.org/support/zooboo/#/zooboo-2.
13. Go to the pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins
14.  Bake a treat with the smallest pumpkin you bought at the patch from #13: pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie
15.  Host a Halloween Fall Open House and Pumpkin Carving Party
16.  Make a Fall wreath
17.  Drink Hot Apple Cider
18.  Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate
19.  Make homemade marshmellows to top off your hot cocoa from #18.
20.  Make donuts to go with cider or cocoa
21.  Make a pinecone bird feeder
22.  Make a new soup each week with fall veggies.
23.  Go to Three River Parks Activities: Little Folks Halloween http://www.threeriversparks.org/events/L/little-folks-halloween.aspx;  Halloween Farm Fun  http://www.threeriversparks.org/events/H/halloween-farm-fun.aspx
24.  Go to Minnesota Zoo Members Only HallZOOween.
25. Host a bonefire weenie roast/ outdoor movie night

Can't wait to get started!
Join me if you want!

Add a comment with fun things your family does in the fall for fun!

Menu Planning 8/27/12

Welcome me hearties!!  Glad to see you all.  Have you had a good couple of weeks?  

Leave me a comment if you'd like!!  Remember to follow me, if you like what you see, thanks!!

Monday: 

Pork chops, green beans, applesauce, homemade honey bread!

Tuesday & Wednesday: 

Late nights at work, so dinner will be at the grandparents!!

Thursday: 

Grilledcheeseburger wraps, red potato, yogurt and fruit

Friday:

Grilled chicken ceasear flat bread,  chips salsa

Saturday:

 Fajita chowder, fruit kabobs,English muffin bread

Sunday:  

Introducing:  Family request...a rotating you pick it, I make it meal!  Wish me luck when the toddlers choose?!?!

What's on your menu this week?

go to www.orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas

Apple Fritter Pancakes

Sorry I didn't post a menu this week, got busy, and time slipped away!  

I found a recipe for Apple Fritters from Seemingly Greek, however I didn't feel like eating something deep fried!  Humm, quick change, and a recipe for pancakes are created!!  

Apple Fritter Pancakes!

1 heaping cup plus 1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp melted butter

Dash salt

1 1/3 cup milk

1 cup apple finely chopped

Directions:

1.  Mix All ingredients together

2.  Make Pancakes!

3. ENJOY!!!

Hakuna Matata Lunch

One of the only movies we have tried to watch with the boys, is The Lion King!  At our home this movie by Disney is an extreme interest.  

For today's lunch I decided on a Lion King Theme!

The brown on the tree is stick pretzels and the green is broccoli, the  red is tomato, the orange is food color dyed macaroni, the green is grapes, brown is turkey, the animals are iced animal crackers and cheese.  

This lunch was a well rounded success!  

What did you have for lunch??

Caramel Apple Cider Muffins

Since it is not a secret that I love all things fall, I was reviewing previously pinned fall food items.  I stumbled upon a cookie recipe for apple cider and caramel...looked good, but I already had some cookies in the fridge.  So I thought, what 

else would be good with these ingrients??  

Everything...hmmm, I needed to narrow this down.  

MUFFINS, yes that's the ticket.  

Yummy yummy, nuff said!

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter melted

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

2 cups AP flour

12 Kraft caramels 

10 single serving packages spiced apple cider (I used Alpine)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

1.  Cream together, butter, sugars, and cider

2.  Add milk

3.  Add baking powder, and salt

4.  Add eggs

5.  Add flour 1/2'cup at a time until well combined

6.  Line baking cups

7.  Fill baking cups 1/3 full, then add one caramel to each cup then fill to 2/3 full.

8.  Place muffin tin in oven and immediately turn oven down to 400 degrees

9.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes 

10.  Take out to cool 

11.  Enjoy!!

**If these are not enjoyed warm, heat in the microwave to soften the caramels prior to enjoying!!

State Fair Menu Plan 8/13/12

Welcome me hearties!!  Glad to see you all.  Two weeks until the big Minnesota get together, yup, the Minnesota State  Fair, so in order to get the family excited (not that they aren't...) I will make some classic fair foods!!

Leave me a comment if you'd like!!  Remember to follow me, if you like what you see, thanks!!

Monday: 

Belgiun Waffles with Berries!

Tuesday & Wednesday: 

Late nights at work, so dinner will be at the grandparents!!

Thursday: 

Grilled corn on the cob,  grilled chicken, chocolate covered frozen bananas!

Friday:

 Caprese salad on a stick, chicken gyros, And mini funnel cakes

Saturday:

Baked Corndogs, baked French fries, fruit kabobs

Sunday:  

Introducing:  Family request...a rotating you pick it, I make it meal!  Wish me luck when the toddlers choose?!?!

What's on your menu this week?

go to www.orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas

S'mores Bars!

So I have been slacking on posting this week, I have been too wrapped up in watching the Olympics!  Last night in honor of wishing in fall, I made S'mores bars!  They were delightfully good!  I will be making them again come true fall!  

Clearly my pinterest addiction has sweetness in their pins!  

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup AP flour

3/4 cup ground or finely crushed graham crackers

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 regular sized Hershey's bars 

1   7 oz jar marshmallow fluff

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1.  Spray 8 x 8 pan with baking spray

2.  Combine butter and sugar in mixer until well mixed

3.  Add egg, salt, baking powder and continue mixing 

4.  Add vanilla and continue mixing

5.  Add flour 1/3 cup at a time while continuing to mix

6.  Add graham crackers And mix until well combined

7.  Divide dough into 2 equal balls

8.  Press 1 dough ball into bottom of pan

9.  Break apart chocolates to cover dough

10.  Spread fluff over top of chocolates 

11.  Cover with other half of dough.

12.  Cook for 30 minutes, let cool, cut, and

13.  Enjoy!!