Pumpkin Ginger Cake with Pumpkin Cheesecake Topping

 It is beginning to feel like fall here (at least in the mornings!) So when I saw this recipe on pinterest, I decided to try it.  It is delicious and very showy. 

printable recipe here.

Snickerdoodles

Printable recipe here.

Bananas Foster Cake

I have a ton of baking commitments coming up, so today I test drove a recipe for Bananas Foster Cake for Jim to take to work next week.  It was really good!  A little taste of New Orleans!

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops- a crowd pleaser!

Candy Corn Cookies

I found these candy corn sugar cookies on pinterest and thought they were so cute I had to make them!  And they are so easy!  Use your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe and split it into thirds... color one third orange and one third white.  Press into a loaf pan and freeze until hardened.

 Then cut into slices and then into triangles.  

 Bake as directed.  

Then tell yourself over and over that just because they are small doesn't mean you can eat as many as you like!

For printable recipe, click here.  (I doubled this recipe.)

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream

Since Christian had a race Saturday morning, I planned pasta for dinner Friday night.  I found this recipe via pinterest and had all of the ingredients ready to throw together after lacrosse practice.

It was a quick and easy meal-the longest part of the prep time was waiting for the water to boil.  And it was DELICIOUS.  I will definitely be making it again.  And again and again!  It was that good!  I do think that next time I will reduce the amount of tomatoes since my clan seemed to leave most of them on their plates.

For printable recipe, go here.

Grilled Balsamic Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

image courtesy of Kitchen Confidante

I made this tenderloin for dinner tonight and and it received ten thumbs up at the Fun House.  (Unfortunately the peas that I served with it did not.)  Recipe found on pinterest from Kitchen Confidante.

Kookie Cookies

I tried this easy recipe from Skip To My Lou and it was such a big hit at my house I didn't even get a picture!  I used my pizza cutter to cut these into pieces and it worked well.  (And I didn't add the chocolate.) 

photo courtesy of Skip To My Lou

For printable recipe click here.

Bacon Toffee

This recipe is great for a "manly" treat.

Although the original recipe calls for using bacon grease, I think next time I will use all butter.  The grease gives the toffee a bacon flavor, but every time I take a bite, I remember how much grease was used and it kind of turns my stomach!

For printable recipe, go here.

Jamaican Chicken Sandwiches

 Tonight is the Cross Country informational picnic.  I tried a new recipe for Jamaican Chicken Sandwiches.  Topped with mango to cool some of the heat-they were awesome!

And don't you love my vintage picnic basket?  (Jim hates it.)

For printable recipe, go here.

Rocky Ledge Bars

My people were big fans... big, BIG fans!

For Martha's recipe, go here.

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

I printed this recipe from For The Love of Cooking almost two months ago.  I planned to make it last week and forgot to get prosciutto, so it was bumped to this week's menu.  Then a funny coincidence, I saw on Facebook that Kim made it for dinner last night and said it was good.  When I asked what recipe she used, it was the same one!

I made this for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS.  (Except that Carolyn didn't like the sauce.)  The salty prosciutto with the lemon sauce was OH SO GOOD!

Printable recipe here.

The Big Sandwich

So I made the Big Sandwich.

 And OH was it GOOD.

I tried a new bread recipe and it is a keeper!  (Thanks, Troye, for the rye flour!)

My Big Sandwich:

Steakhouse Black Bread

Cream Cheese Spread

Ham

Swiss

Turkey

Provolone

Tomato

Hard Salami

More Swiss

This was so good and we will definitely have it again.  This sandwich had 10 servings... dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow!

Toasted Orzo Chicken Soup

I am ALWAYS in the mood for soup and Rachel Ray's Toasted Orzo Chicken Soup was a big hit at our house!  It is loaded with vegetables but no one seemed to notice (except for the "big kid" who took offense at the peas!)  I didn't have orzo, but I did have tiny alphabet pasta that I toasted and it seemed to work just fine.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

I made these white chocolate cranberry cookies from Baking Bites for the first time today.  They are very festive and very tasty!  (Of course, I doubled up the amount of white chocolate chips!)

For printable recipe, click here.

Christmas Treats

We have been baking up a storm this week!

A new recipe:  Peppermint Whoopie Pies

And an old favorite:  White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies

Two-Tone Fancy Drinks

I saw this drink over at Scribbit and I knew the kids would love them for Thanksgiving!

Pretty, huh?

To make:

Mix one part orange juice with one part Sprite.  (I made a pitcher and used two cups of each.)

Pour into clear glasses.

Add grenadine syrup.  The syrup is heavy and will settle to the bottom of the glass, making the drink two-toned.

They were a big hit with the kids (and with Meme!)

Dinner From the Islands

It was seriously hot today.  The temp at the end of October should NOT be 87 degrees!  For dinner tonight, I made Polynesian Chicken.  The best thing about this recipe is that all of the ingredients are already in my fridge or pantry. No special trips to the grocery store!  And everybody loves it.

For printable recipe, click here.

Book I want to read:: Let's Bring Back by Leslie M.M. Blume

Craft I am TOTALLY making this week:: Glow-in-the-dark treat bags

Another cute pillow:: Petal Pillow

Recipe to try:: Caramallows

Lasagna Soup

This recipe for Lasagna Soup was a HUGE hit at my house!  Jim and two of the kids all took it for lunch the next day, leaving no leftovers for me!  This will definitely be something that I make a lot as the weather continues to get cooler.  I omitted the ricotta cheese.

For printable recipe, click here.