Pumpkin Muffin/Cupcakes

I have been thinking about baking these muffins for about a week.  I love Pumpkin, I love muffins, and I love cupcakes- what's not to like?!  Here is the pinterest website I used:  Pumpkin Muffins.  I decided to bake these because I wanted to have something to eat for breakfast that was fast and easy.  This is apparently a weight watchers recipe- that was not the reason I chose this recipe- I chose because it looked SUPER easy!  There are only 2 ingredients (a box of cake mix- no added ingredients, and a can of pumpkin).  Mix it up and bake!  The finished product called for cream cheese frosting (which I didn't have, and I didn't want to make) or powdered sugar.  I covered a couple with powdered sugar, but then decided I didn't personally like it. 

I did make a change.  I LOVE pumpkin pie, and so I added a cinnamon-sugar dusting on top instead.  Next time I might also add a bit of cinnamon into the mix, too.  Being a "healthier" option I wasn't sure what Paul (the hubby) would think, but he LOVED them and has even asked for seconds.  He even said he would eat them again next time I cooked them.  All in all, another success for Pinterest :)  Super easy, healthy, and tasty :)

Pinterest!

I finally jumped on the bandwagon and joined Pinterest this summer.  So, I decided to try some new things... As you know, I'm NOT crafty!  At all... I have been very excited about the results though!  :)  First thing I did was make some magnetic solfege hand symbols that I put on my white board.  I can't post the pictures, but the link is:  Solfege Hand Signs.  Last weekend I decided I would start trying different recipes.  I made S'more bars, but I cut the recipe in half since there were only 5 of us.  I'm not sure if I would make a whole batch unless a bunch of people were coming over, but they were a hit!  S'more Bars  Then, to drink, I tried some Pink Lemonade Margaritas.  They were also delicious!   I will definitely be making these again Pink Lemonade Margaritas!  Yum!

Tonight, for dinner, I decided to try a crock pot recipe.  I really like cream of mushroom soup and chicken, so I found a crock pot recipe with those that was AWESOME!  Crockpot recipes!  I don't remember which recipe it was... but I can tell you what it was.  3 chicken breasts, two cans of cream of mushroom soup, one package of lipton dry onion soup, and a half cup of sour cream.  Put it in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hrs.  SO good!  Paul was so happy.... I made some mashed potatoes and put it on the potatoes- the original recipe said to put it on top of jasmin rice or pasta, but when I stirred the chicken it shredded instantly- it was so moist. 

I have been INCREDIBLY happy with the recipes I've tried and random things I've found.   This blog might start including different pinterest things I've tried to see what's worked and what hasn't. 


Stay tuned!  :)

Trains, planes, automobiles, and a few books

This summer Paul and I went on Vacation for 6 weeks. We went to Wyoming for a week and a half, drove to Washington, flew to New York, then went back to Washington for about 2 weeks. Paul went on his first subway this summer, he was nervous, but after getting on the wrong way the first time, it was easy and Paul decided it was the way to do it... too bad that decision was made on our last day ;) Our flights were... okay.... I'm not the biggest fan of flying... but it was decent- plus we got $600 in flight vouchers. We also drove around 5,000 miles round trip (not counting the driving we did in New York, including my driving through Times Square-AHHH!!!!) :)

Paul and I on the Staten Island Ferry

 

Traveling around I had SOME time to read, but surpringly not much.  I finished re-reading the Harry Potter series, then read the Anne of Green Gables series.  I really liked it.  I had read the first one seveal years ago but read the whole series (minus the second short-essay book).  I really liked 1-4 and 6.  It's a Canadian Series from the 1800's and early 1900's.  Definitely a good series if you've never read them.

 

I am currently reading Beautiful Joe by M. Marshall.  It's another book from the 1800s.  I bought this book in July because I had read it when I was growing up several times.  Enough times, that the cover fell off... But, I found a used bookstore in Tacoma and bought my Mom another copy of the book.  This book was written before Black Beauty and is a book to help bring animal cruelty to life, because there weren't many animal rights at the time.  Still a good book, but I can see the preachy/political agenda now that I didn't notice when I was a kid.