Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Seeds

This easy Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Seeds recipe takes no time at all and you end up with a yummy crunchy snack for anytime not just Halloween.

All you need are the seeds, cookie sheet or sheet pan, and spatula.

Ingredients:

Seeds

Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves (cleaned and smashed)

Salt

Lawry's Seasoning Salt

Preheat oven to 325.

Wash and pat dry seeds.

In a small fry pan heat 4 to 5 tablespoons Olive Oil to med low heat, add garlic and stir over low heat for a few minutes to season the oil with the garlic flavor. Turn off heat and let sit for ten minutes or so. Taste the oil to make sure you have a garlic flavor. Heating to a high temp will only burn the garlic and leave a bitter taste.

Pour Garlic Olive Oil onto a baking sheet, add Seeds and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with a little Salt. Not too much.

Place in preheated oven and roast stirring every ten minutes or so. This should take 45 minutes to an hour. Half way through while seeds are still a still a little moist season with Lawry's Seasoning Salt. Stir to coat well and return to oven.

Roast until nicely browned and crunchy.

Enjoy ;)

Monster Cupcake Cake

This Easy Monster Cake is a big hit for Parties!!

Arrange your cupcakes into desired shape. Using a grass decorating tip pipe on your frosting starting at the head and work your way to the feet. Making it look like a single layer cake. Add you accents and your done! Easy and fun for the kids ;)

Wine History The "Wine Bible"

We have been drinking wine for thousands of years now. It has been apart of many cultures around the world in many different ways.

In Medieval Europe drinking wine with a meal helped make the very bland food taste better. Wine has come along way since then. It is now grown and sold for profit.

The British have this great little site called the Wine Bible and I am bringing it to you. If you need to learn about wine, the many many different wine grape varieties this is a very helpful site.

You can also learn about all the wine producing countries around the world as well.

The history of wine is so interesting. Being as wine has been around for so long it is fascinating to see how it has evolved over the years. You once could only drink it if you were of a certain class in society, now everyone does.

Check out the Wine Bible and save it as one of your cooking favorites for interesting reading and reference.

Happy Fall!

Hot New Finds: Starbuck's Ceramic Travel Mug

I have found the greatest item ever! Starbuck's has a ceramic travel mug! No not stainless or plastic but ceramic! I am so thrilled I just can't stand it ;)

I have never liked the taste of coffee in stainless or plastic cups, I have to have it in a ceramic cup or it just does not taste the same.

So I usually put my morning coffee in a regular old coffee cup and off I go. Maneuvering through bumps and traffic trying to hold the cup up so it doesn't spill coffee all over me or my car.

But not anymore. The other day I forgot my coffee and had some errands to run after dropping the kids off to school. I popped into Starbuck's to get just a regular Joe and waiting in line there gleaming on the shelf was their ceramic travel mug with a snap on leak proof lid! Like I said I was so excited.

It keeps the coffee very hot and I did burn my tongue so I have to be careful. It is double walled so the hot liquids stay hot but it's cool to the touch which is an added bonus. So very proud of my new mug!! I have been getting funny looks because of the mug, people aren't sure if Starbucks changed their carry out cups or what ;)

Happy Fall!

Wine Pick Of The Day! Kirkland 2006 Napa Valley Meritage

Needless to say.... very disappointing :( This is sad being as I loved the other Kirkland wine, I was so excited to get it.

It's 69% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. It smelled like "grapes" a little on the flat side coming from the "Master Cask Series". Maybe too much Black Cherry and not enough oak???

Price Point: $9 - $11.00

I prefer Kendall J Meritage.

:/

Karen B's Homemade Carmel Apple Bread Pudding

Karen B's Homemade Carmel Apple Bread Pudding is a special dessert

and loved by many. It will bring a smile to your family as well as warm their tummy's.

It's quiet simple all you need are the ingredients and you will be surprised at what they are!

Ingredients:

• One Dozen Cinnamon Cake Doughnuts
• 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 5 Large Eggs
• 2 Cups Milk
• 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 - 1/2 Cup Chopped Dried Cinnamon Apples ( I use Mariani Fuji Apples w/Cinnamon) If you cannot find dried apples use two fresh apples chopped and dredge in Cinnamon and Sugar.
• Cinnamon & Sugar (mixed together)
• Two Carmel Apple Wraps
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Pnuts (optional) (you can find chopped Pnuts at the store)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Prep a 9 x 13" glass dish with cooking spray.

Take your cake doughnuts and break into pieces show here, place into pan.

Chop your apples into 1/2 inch size pieces, sprinkle over doughnuts.

Take two Carmel Apple Wraps and remove paper.

Cut with kitchen scissors into small pieces, it is easier to use scissors than a knife. Sprinkle Carmel pieces and Pnuts over doughnuts and apples. Gently mix in with hands to distribute evenly.

In a bowl add the eggs and whisk. Add the milk, sugar and vanilla mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour the eggs and milk mixture over the doughnut mixture. Press down the doughnut mixture with a spatula to make sure all the doughnuts get covered with the eggs and milk.

Let sit for five minutes.

Sprinkle Cinnamon and Sugar over the entire top of the bread pudding.

Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes until set.

Serve warm with a dollop of whip cream or just by itself!

It is delightful!

Happy Cooking ;)

How To Carve A Watermelon Basket

You can make this adorable watermelon basket with just a few supplies and a creative mind.

Supplies:

• One large nice shaped watermelon
• Carving knife
• Pumpkin Carving knife or serrated knife as shown
• Large serving spoon and or Ice Cream Scoop or Melon Ball er which ever you have
• Large Mixing bowl for the watermelon pieces

Wash your Watermelon with soap and warm water.

Find the bottom and slice off a thin strip length wise to make a the bottom flat to prevent rolling or movement while carving. Be careful not to cut too deep just the bottom skin will work just fine.

With a dry erase marker draw your design on to the clean dry melon. Here we are making a whale for my Daughters Birthday Party.

Cut with the serrated pumpkin knife/cutter along the lines using a in and out motion or sawing motion as you go.

Use the carving or meat knife to stab and pull out sections of the melon as shown here:

Be careful not to break off delicate pieces.

Here we cut out the mouth section.

For the eyes I used a pairing knife (.99 cents) and bent the tip over to make a round tip to carve out the skin and scrape until you can see the white flesh of the melon.

Then we cleaned out the melon with a large spoon or scoop, reserving the melon to be cut up to fill the basket later.

Next dry out your melon with paper towels.

Cut up all the fruit you will be adding and keep in separate bowls.

Hint: do not mix the different types of fruit together in one bowl. Layer them in the basket. This keeps the fruit intact and looking beautiful no smashed from mixing.

Keep the melon in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill and serve.

Layer all the different fruit into the bowl. Decorate the platter with greenery, flowers and additional fruit if desired.

Enjoy!