Buffalo Chicken and Potatoes

You need

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
6 cups frozen southern style hash brown potatoes
1 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup corn flakes crumbs
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/4 cup chopped green onions

How to

Heat oven to 350 Spray your baking dish

In bowl stir together chicken strips and wing sauce
In another bowl stir together potatoes, dressing, cheese and soup. Spoon into baking dish. Place chicken strips in single layer over potato mixture
In a bowl stir together crumbs and butter Sprinkle in baking dish
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes;uncover 20- 25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink
Sprinkle with green onions

2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving

We had a pumpkin carving dinner last night. Bill made a pot of chili and we carved pumpkins.

Here's William dressed up for the event.

Here they are hard at work making the perfect pumpkin. They look serious, don't they.

Here William is watching and making sure everyone does a good job.

William with Mom giving us his cute smile

Here are the masterpieces. Good job, guys. !!!

This one is Ben's.

This one is Grandpa's

This one is Jennifer's.

Good job to all. Hope you all have a spooky and Happy Halloween.

November's Thought of the Month

If you think you can win, you can win. Faith is

necessary to victory.

William Hazlitt

Creamy Two Layer Pumpkin Pie

You need

4 oz Neufchatel cheese

1 tbsp cold fat free milk

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip Topping

1 ready to use graham cracker crumb crust

1 cup cold milk

1 can pumpkin (16 0z)

2 pkg Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 /4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

How to

Beat cheese, 1 tbsp milk and sugar in bowl with wire whisk until blended. Stir in whipped topping Spread on bottom of crust

Pour 1 cup milk and pumpkin, pudding mix and spices. Beat with whisk 2 minutes Spread over cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with additional topping

Fall Outodoor Decorations from Halloween to Thanksgiving

Flowers for Fall- Scour antique and flea markets for a tall and tapered, galvanized steel container with a handle. Fill with tall flowers and hang by the handle from a hook on your front door

Display hollowed out pumpkins filled with potted fall flowers along a retaining wall. A procession of pumpkins would also look stately on your front steps

Potted Pumpkins- Turn an old planter into a pumpkin perch for fall. Hot glue corn husks to a straw wreath form,along the top, bottoms and sides so that the ends of the husks all point outward. Stick sprigs of ornamental grass into the wreath form to fill in any gaps. Set the wreath on top of a garden urn and nestle a pumpkin

Sill Space- Dress up blank windowsills with an arrangement of harvest inspired elements such as miniature hay bales,ears of Indian corn and leaves. For Halloween, add a miniature jack-o-lantern or two. For Thanksgiving, add a handful of pine cones.

Swiss Cheese Fondue

This sounds really good on a cold winter's night with a fresh baguette,while sitting around a fire with family.

1 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese shredded
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 pound Swiss cheese shredded
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons kirsch
1 baguette cubed

In a 1 1/2 qt fondue pot, heat 1 cup wine until bubble surface .

In a bowl mix Swiss cheese, Gruyere cheese, cornstarch and mustard

Add to fondue pot and stir til cheeses melt and bubbly. Be sure not to scorch the cheese. Adjust heat accordingly.

Dip bread into dip and enjoy .

Coat Hook Fireplace Tool Holder

With us all using our fireplaces this time of year coat hooks take on a new role when mounted sideways next to your fireplace. They can hold your fireplace tools upright. Look for ones that match the handles

Fall Wreaths and Door Decorations

Dried Flower Vine Wreath - Three groupings of dried hydrangea,grasses,berries, and blossoms are attached with wire or hot glue to this grapevine wreath base

Fresh Fruit- Whether you choose perishable fresh fruit or attractive artificial varieties, adding this much color to an evergreen wreath makes it a marvelous focal point

Seeded in Style- Make a seedy and nutritious gift for the birds, When hung on a fence, wall or other outdoor structure, the solid birdseed wreath attracts feathered friends to feast

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

I pkg Devil's food cake mix
2 pkg Chocolate instant pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups cold milk
1 1 /4 cups water
1 cup thawed Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350

Prepare cake batter as directed Pour into 13x9 baking dish

Beat dry pudding mixes,sugar milk and water with whisk for 2 minutes . Pour over batter Place in oven on baking sheet

Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour Cool 20 minutes (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools)

"Harvest" Slow Cooker Dinner

Here are a couple of recipes to serve at your Fall Harvest evening. Starting with an Asiago cheese dip served on French Baguette. Then for the main course an Italian Pork Stew . Easy and fast if you use your slow cooker. Put it on in the morning and serve that night, with plenty of time to visit with your guest.

Asiago Cheese Dip

1 cup chicken broth
4 ounces dried tomatoes
2- 16 oz cartons dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Asiago cheese
1 1 /4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 of an 8 ounce package cream cheese cut up
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced green onions

Bring broth to a boil. Remove: added dried tomatoes;cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain, discard liquid. Chop tomatoes.

In a slow cooker combine sour cream, the 1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese, mayo,cream cheese,mushrooms, and the 1 cup of green onions. Stir in chopped tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Sprinkle with remaining onions and serve on warm baguette.



Italian Pork Stew-

2 cups dry Great Northern Beans
6 cups cold water
8 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1 pound lean boneless pork cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups carrots cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
1 /2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup red wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1.4 cup snipped fresh parsley

Rinse beans drain. In saucepan combine beans and 6 cups water. Bring to boiling;reduce heat uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand for 1 hour. Transfer beans to slow cooker.

Cook sausage and drain. Transfer sausage to slow cooker, Cook pork. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion,carrots, and garlic. Stir in 3 cups of water, bouillon, thyme and oregano

Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on high. Stir in tomato paste and wine. Add to mixture along with parsley.

Throw a Fall Harvest Party

Arrange It - A hollowed out pumpkin becomes a seasonal vase to showcase fall blooms

Transform a pumpkin-- Turn a pumpkin into a festive bowl perfect for chips

Drink it Up -- An old blue box, perhaps once used to store tools, stands in as a drink server

Keep it Toasty- Bring in a portable fire pit to set the stage for a magical and warm nighttime gathering

Create Warmth-Throw blankets made from simple cuts of fleece from a fabric store keep guests toasty when they're not settled by the fire

Pictures of Life

Believe it or not William is old enough to eat cereal.

William showing off his new hat.

It's takes alot out of a guy being cute !!!

Cousins Pat and Diana had a good visit with us all.

Saving Eggs

Save the egg yolks when a recipe calls for using only whites, or vice versa. If you don't plan to use the eggs immediately, pour them into an airtight container and freeze. To prevent the yolks from gelling, add a pinch of salt or a heaping teaspoon of sugar for every four yolks. The day before you use the eggs, place the container on the refrigerator, and allow them to thaw overnight

Creamy Chicken "n Loaded Potatoes Skillet

Whip up an easy skillet dinner with a hearty combo of chicken, potatoes and veggies.

You need

1 box Betty Crocker loaded baked potatoes
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

In a skillet, stir sauce mix,water, milk and butter with whisk until blended. Stir in potatoes and basil.
Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally;reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender

Where Did I Put Those Buttons?

This is a great idea. I have a whole bag full of extra buttons that came with purchased garments. Sew them onto the inside hems of the garment they belong to.

Fabulous Fall Centerpieces

A-Maize-ing Centerpiece- Nestle colorful ears of corn on a bed of wheat for a feast of earthy color and texture that's distinctly fall. Fit a shallow bowl with dry floral foam,leaving the foam an inch or two taller than the bowl. Insert wheat stalks into the foam,parallel to the table top. Partially remove the husks from several ears of Indian corn and arrange them on top of the wheat.

White Pumpkin Centerpiece- Say goodbye to plain orange pumpkins. Creamy white varieties look elegant adorned with silver glitter and nestled in boxwood atop a silver wine cooler.

Fall Arrangement - A faux pumpkin has been dolled up with a wild arrangement of twigs, leaves, and berries. At the center, a focal point of a golden bow and tiny birdhouse catches our eye. Cut a piece of dry Styrofoam and hot glued to the top of the artificial pumpkin. Cover the foam with glued on bits of Spanish or green moss.

Natural Fall Table Setting

Beautiful Milkweed table topper- Milkweed pods are a stunning centerpiece when placed in a tall glass vase. Surround the vase with white and yellow gourds, and place them all in a shallow basket. Set this on a side table to draw attention to the beauty surrounding the meal

Stylish Silverware Holder- Transform a glass oval container filled with white rice into a custom silverware holder. Tie sets of silverware together with ivory satin ribbon for an elegant look

Crab Apple Centerpiece - Fill a tall glass votive holder with 1 inch of dried white beans, Sprigs of crab apples or other yellow berries make an ornamental addition to the table

Simple Wheat Centerpiece- Keep neutral, autumn colors abundant with an understated centerpiece. Fill a skinny vase with tall stalks of wheat found at a crafts store or a farmer;s market. Keep the stalks to a minimum for a light and airy feel

Day at Williams House

Do you think he has enough to keep him entertained?

William's attempts to roll over

Autumn Planters

When cold weather arrives, gourds, winter squash, Indian corn, and small pumpkins can fill the planters that once overflowed with flowering annuals;tuck some colorful leaves into any gaps. There's no better way to capture the spirit of the fall harvest season

"A William NewsFlash"

Two days before his 3 month birthday, William rolled over.!! Yes he did. He was at home with Mom playing on his activity mat. Mom said that he was on his back one minute and the next he was on his stomach, looking quite surprised.Good job William!!