Trick or Treating Advice.

As a present trick or treater, I know what houses I enjoyed visting and the ones I didn't.

-First of all the ones with lights on always atrack trick or treaters. Wheter its halloween lights or lights inside your home, let them know you want them to come to your door.

-Second is, don't be a grump about the candy. I know it cost money and you don't want them taking handfulls, but at least give them the choice. The worst is when someone at the door has a gigantic bowl of lots of candy, and picks one out and gives it to you. Its all about their choice.

So just remember, don't be a grump, be happy, asknowledge their costumes, and wish them a Happy Haloween. I know you're probably thinking, "Well why does it matter if they liked my house or not? They won't remember it!" -FALSE.

I always walk away smiling and remember that house for years to come.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I made these cookies the other day and loved them! I have been have a craving for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies ever since I got back from a trip where I had one at
Pacific Cookie Company. It tasted just like heaven. Ever since then I have been searching for a good one. I finally found one! I took pictures as I made them. The recipe will follow.

-1 cup of peaunut butter

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1/2 cup white sugar

-1 egg

-1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

-3/4 cups chocolate chips

-MiX iT uP

-What it should like when done

-before baking

-after baking

-ENJOY WITH A COOL GLASS OF MILK!

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar & 1/2 cup white sugar)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2. Mix the peanut butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth.

3. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

4. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips.

5. Spoon dough into balls, about 1 Tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on the cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

6. Smash with a fork and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes. Move to a wire rack and cool. Make sure you don't over bake. They will set up and you want them to be soft.

Z Gallerie

I just went to a really neat home furishing store called Z Gallerie at the Gateway. It was very neat. They have really cute stuff for your home, from pictures to couches to lamps to tablewear. It was really modern and cute! I took a picture of these sparkly pumpkins that would be cute on a shelf or table.

Here they are used as a table setting.

They have really modern furniture if you like that style. Like these cabinets and shelves for example.

Many people aren't into this style, and rather prefer traditional. This just happens to be my kind of furniture, but if you don't like it thats okay. May I just add that it is a very high quality store! Thank you.

Cinnamon Brownies

I made cinnamon brownies the other day, and oh were they good! Its easy too, all you do is add cinnamon to a box of brownie mix, follow the mix as directed, and WAH-LAH! I added a bit of ground ginger too, which made the texture delightful.
1 box of brownies
ground cinnamon
ground ginger

Mix the brownie mix as directed.
Add cinnamon while you stir.-There is not a certain amount, just when you feel you have done enough.
Add just a touch of ground ginger
Bake!
Wait.
Cool.
Eat.

Leaves...in your home? Yes.

Fall leaves...gotta love em'! They are so pretty. Especially when you go up the canyon. It is amazing the colors some of them change. Well, you can bring the beauty of the outdoors, and bring it into your home! For example, you have seen a bowl of water, and candles floating on top? Well why not throw in some leaves!?

You will need a clear open top bowl, water, floating candles, and 3 or 4 beautiful leaves that you found outside.

Granted, it won't last that long. But you can keep changing the leaves as often as you need if they start looking old. Or you could do it without the candles, and just a mix of Fall leaves.






















Note: I apologize for not having a phot of the finished product, as this was my idea. So I was only able to get photos of the materials needed, since I have not yet uploaded pictures, but it turns out darling.

Pumpkin Seeds

Don't throw away those pumpkin seeds! They can make a great snack for around the home or at a party. They can be salted or spiced, however you like. The shells on pumpkin seeds are edible, and a good source of fiber. There are so many different way to try them! Below are a few short recipes for roasting and toasting pumpkin seeds. :)

Oven Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds
Cooking spray, olive oil, or butter
Optional: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, or other seasoning of choice

Preparation:
Rinse pumpkin seeds. Use your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain pumpkin seeds and discard pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet to dry overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil. Toss pumpkin seeds in olive oil, butter, or spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, or your choice of seasonings.

Toss to coat. Bake about 1 hour, tossing every 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool pumpkin seeds before eating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year.

If you like your toasted pumpkin seeds extra-salty, soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt to 2 cups of water. Dry an additional day, then proceed as above.

Fun Fact: Pumpkin seeds are also known as pepitas.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

2 In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

3 Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole.

Ghost Puffs

2 (8-ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
32 black sesame seeds
Pheheat overn to 375.
Roll rolls, according to package directions, bending ends into an S shape.
Place 2 sesame seeds onto eah uff for eyes. Bake according to packae directions.
Serve immediately.



.

Scarecrow Crunch

4 cups crunchy oatmeal cereal squares
4 cups tiny twist pretzels
1 (22-0unce) bag of autumn mix honey candy
2 cups peaunut butter candy in crunchy shell
2 (6-ounce) boxes caramel popcorn with nuts
1 (6.6) bag chocolate graham baked snacks
In a large bowl, combine all igredients.
Serve as desired.

Haloween Cereal

Have you ever tried this?

It is called Boo Berry cereal. Apparently they have it every Haloween, but I just tried it. I actually think its pretty good. It reminds me of Captain Crunch. :) They have other ones too, like

Count CHOCula and Frankenberry. It doesn't really have to do with home decor but I thought it was a pretty cute cereal so thought I would let you know about it! Kids will love it too!

I have only tried the Boo Berry, so if you try the other two let me know how they are!

Place Mats

Surprsingly enough, placemats can make a big difference at the dinner table. Especially around holidays. Not are they super cute, but also protecst the table from spills and stains.



felt pumpkin place mat from Pier 1 Imports







"Fall Colors" placemat from homedecorators.com




Etienne Placemat from Crate and Barrel

Poll

Be sure to take my poll at the bottom of the page!!!

Gardner Village

If you haven't been to Gardner Village this Fall, you sure are missing out! It is a must during this season. I recently went to a "Witch Breakfast" for a birthday party and it turned out super fun!!! There are women dressed up in extravagent witch costumes and walking around acting and talking. They are hilarious. It is such a fun place for pictures and getting home decorations.

Fall Outfits

Just one more thing I love about Fall! Bring back a style! Turtleneck, dress to above the knees
tights, and boots or flats. So Fall! Or trade the dress with a skirt to the knees, and perhaps an argile top!

Another great accessory for this time of year are hats. They always look great on top of a loose curl, with a double breasted coat, they are the perfect accessory for all!!

Candels

Candles.........love em'! It's amazing what they can do for you! Pumpkin pie, mulled cider, ginger, spices, send a signal to the brain and can even bring back memories! I recomend for part of your decoration and Fall spirit, that you get some candles!!

What brand do I get?

MAINSTAYS is a trustworthy. The scent is strong enough but not to strong on every candle.

As is VILLAGE CANDLE.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I gave you some ideas!

HAPPY FALL!

Haloween Decorations.

Need some quick ideas to get your home looking creepy and cute? Then you've come to the right place. How about some "spider webs" you can buy at Wal Mart? Put them over your front bushes and your set! Or a graveyard up the walkway to your house is always a plus! Trick or Treaters LOVE houses like that. The more complete and "spooky" and colorful your house looks, the more guests will want to come. A MUST is lights. People forget about lights during Haloween. Put some orange lifes along your roof, or even some light up ghosts. Anything that will light up your yard is the WAY TO GO. Last but not least, you absolutely need jack-o-lanterns!! They are such a classic and absolutely darling. I hope you got some ideas!