So a few weeks ago I promised to get my act together and get back into weekly posting mode -- we can all see how well that is going. I hope that your summer is as busy as ours. At this point in my life, I accept that if my life is busy, I must be doing it right.

In any case, we're about to get into it. And by it, I mean a jar of marshmallow fluff. There's something about the stuff; even the attendant at Target was excited to see fluff coming down her conveyor. Fluffernutter, fluffernutter, fluffernutter, fluffernutter, fluffernutter. The only thing sillier than saying fluffernutter five times fast is typing it.

It's summer, a mild one around here, but summer nonetheless. Why turn on the oven to enjoy a delectable dessert? This no-bake recipe is from the latest Everyday with Rachael Ray. 

Here's what you'll need...

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 oz cream cheese
1 jar (7-8 oz) marshmallow cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
9-inch graham cracker crust
6 oz raspberries, washed
2 tbsp berry jam

Let's get started...

1. Beat the peanut butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then add the marshmallow cream and continue to beat until blended.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until whipped and stiff.

3. Combine creams and mix until blended.

4. Pour the cream into the graham cracker crust.

5. Top with berries.

6. Beat jam until liquefied or warm in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.

7. Drizzle jam over pie.

8. Refrigerate for about 3 hours or freeze if pie will be traveling. Slice and serve.

With a quick run to the store this morning, 15 minutes of blending and pouring, and few hours in the fridge this afternoon, there is still time to have pb&j pie for tonight's dessert. Enjoy!

This weekend really got away from us. But we did have time to enjoy an evening barbecue. And we are recognizing we are really need to take control of this summer thing. We are halfway through July here people. If you haven't been to a summer brunch, afternoon tea, or outdoor dinner party, I suggest you get it together. Set up the badminton net, pull the croquet wickets, and spread that red checkered tablecloth. Or you can start by making these cookies.

This recipe was originally posted by the flourishing foodie to make 12-16 cookies.  

Here's what you'll need...

For the cookies:

1-1/2 cups cake flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest from one small lemon
1/4 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest from one small lemon
1/4 tsp vanilla
a few drops of yellow food coloring (perhaps red for some pink lemonade cookies)

Let's get started...

1. Combine flour, baking, powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside

2. Cream sugar and butter for cookies in a large mixing bowl. Add egg, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.

3. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients until a soft dough forms.

4. Cover with plastic and allow to rest in the fridge for about an hour.

5. While the dough rests, cream the butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until it forms a creamy frosting.

6. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix to get to the yellow color. 

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

8. Once the dough is firm enough to form, roll onto floured surface to about 1/4" in thickness. Use a glass rim or biscuit cutter to cut rounds. 

9. Bake for about 10 minutes or until soft with golden bottoms.

10. Place on wire rack to cool.

11. After completely cooled, spread frosting atop each cookie. Frosting will harden after about 10 minutes.

12. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The criticism on my attempt at these cookies was that they weren't lemon-y enough. So don't be shy with the zest -- I am always shy with the zest. There may be a bigger life lesson here.

I don't know that I have a good reason to be, but these last few weeks I have been tired at the end of the day. I have been feeling so tired that I don't feel I am getting enough done or that I moving any of my personal projects forward. Truth.
This includes getting posts up on the blog. So when I do put time into a new recipe and it doesn't work out, I can get really frustrated. I have to think back to my post, On Worrying and Turkey Dinners, and put my frustrated energy into more productive efforts to not sweat the small stuff. And sometimes, the small stuff feels sort of like big stuff. It is at those times that I consider, when life hands you watermelons...

So yesterday, I tried an Everyday with Rachael Ray recipe for a watermelon pudding tart. Sounds refreshing, only a few ingredients, what could go wrong? Pretty much everything, the crust could crack and the pudding may not gel. And I found myself with problems in the shape of watermelons. With few ingredients added, I enjoyed a refreshing watermelon spritzer. 

Go mix one up for yourself.

1. Puree 1/2 cup of diced watermelon. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

2. Pour over cubed ice.

3. Add 1/2 can of ginger ale.

Sip with a straw. Consider the scale of your frustrations and just let them go for a moment. If you are in a house, sipping a watermelon spritzer, it really cannot be that bad.

Excuses, excuses. Three months -- what have I been doing with my life. Oh wait, lots, since my last post I...

Drove a convertible over the Golden Gate Bridge. - just like Full House.
Read Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. - can't wait for the movie.
Hosted Easter brunch. - unfortunately there was no grown up egg hunt. next year.
Watched all of Modern Family in syndication. - just do it.
Made this berry corn cake. - new summer classic.
Cheered Michael on at the Pittsburgh Marathon. - 3:33, whoa.
Signed up for the Disney Half Marathon. - I don't believe it either.
Painted our front door. - bold and classic.
Hosted friends for a ladies' weekend. - afternoon tea and hair braiding.
Installed new flooring in our kitchen. - just call someone.
Made these sangria popsicles. - perfect for an afternoon of gossip on the lawn.
Participated in the Burger Bash at Crate with Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is.  - seriously delish. pun intended.

...and you should too. I hope to be back on the recipe and project pulse later this week. Stay tuned.

Last week Michael requested a peanut butter dessert, so we had peanut butter swirl brownies. The idea stuck with me through the week. Today we tried two peas & their pod's banana cake with peanut butter frosting. It was dessert to leftover macaroni and cheese. The perfect meal for kids -- or our household of two adults.

Here's what you'll need...

For the Banana Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Let's get started...

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

2. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.

4. Mash the bananas and fold into creamed mixture.

5. Add flour mixture slowly. Beat until nearly smooth.

6. Evenly spread the batter into the baking dish.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a fork comes out clean from the center. 

8. While the cake bakes, cream the ingredients for the frosting until light peaks form.

9. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Let's be serious, this recipe is all about the frosting. The cake is there to support the sweet, creamy peanut butter. Michael understands this better than anyone as demonstrated by his stroll around the kitchen noting: "I bet this frosting would be good on a biscuit. yep. I bet it would be good on a pretzel. yep."

Enjoy your frosting (and cake).

Why do I still believe that I can get anything productive done in front of the tv? I don't think this is a habit I will be breaking anytime soon, but on a Sunday afternoon, it is not a habit that is high on my priority list to break anyway. As for the work week, I should probably try a bit harder. 

And trying harder is easier when you start with a clean slate. One way to shake something that is following you through the week is a different and refreshing dinner. Wake up your senses. This salad helped me shake some of the frustrations that daylight savings time brought on last weekend. This ceviche salad provides a really fun mix of flavors as adapted from a recent recipe in Runner's World magazine (yes, it's Michael's magazine). 

Here's what you'll need...

For the salad:
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup orange
1 lb salmon
1 cup brown rice
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 avocado (diced)
1 cup cucumber (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
pickled ginger for garnish

For the dressing:
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp siracha sauce
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tsp honey

Let's get started...

1. Whisk the lime, lemon, and orange juice. Add salmon and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

2. Over medium high heat, cook salmon until it has reached a safe temperature. Flake and remove from heat.

3. Prepare rice and edamame according to package directions.

4. Whisk together dressing ingredients until honey is evenly blended.

5. Toss edamame, salmon, tomotoes, cucumbers, and avocado with dressing.

6. Separate rice into two servings and top with desired amount of salad. Garnish with pickled ginger and a pinch of sesame seeds.

Here's to trying harder. 

No matter how many hours you worked over the weekend or how much you love the job you will head to on Monday morning, I am convinced that Sunday nights bring both a sense of calm of the evening and a twang of anxiety for the week ahead. Depending on the week ahead, the anxiety may be excitement or concern for the challenges ahead. Few things can calm this anxiety better for me than watching television with my husband and enjoying something sweet to snack on. These moments find themselves repeated throughout the week, at the end of the workday or mid-afternoon when you don't know how you are going to get through the rest of the day. This week, Shutterbean published a great resolve to the Sunday night build-up -- Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bars. I adapted the recipe and this Sunday evening, I am looking forward to the week ahead.

Here's what you'll need...

1  1/2 cup salted cashews
1/4 cups oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries (these were leftovers from last week's meatloaf)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 oz chopped dark chocolate (72% Cacao)

Let's get started...

1. Combine cashews and oats in a food processor and blend for about 30 seconds.

2. Fold in cranberries, syrup and cinnamon. Process until the ingredients begin to stick together.

3. Add the walnuts and chocolate. Process for about 30 more seconds.

4. Cover an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Allow the paper to hang over the sides.

5. Scoop the nut mixture into the dish and press into place with another piece of parchment paper on top.

6. Place the dish in the freezer for at least 2 hours to harden in place.

7. Cut into squares to serve. Store in the freezer -- or enjoy at room temperature with a spoon.

So, we've got some chocolate, but more importantly we have nuts and dried fruit -- healthy snack -- you're welcome. Have a great week.

Saturdays at home are for ... making up new meatloaf recipes. This has been a weekend for getting things done: laundry, scheduling appointments, taxes, vacation planning -- things that are stressful because we are fortunate enough for them to be our stressors.

But, when it comes to dinnertime on a snowy weekend evening, the best supper around is a warm and savory meatloaf. A few months back, there was an Everyday with Rachael Ray issue filled with meatloaf recipes. It has since been misplaced, but I decided to try to come up with my own recipe inspired by those published flavor combinations. Last night we enjoyed a meatloaf with grated pear and dried cranberries, topped with more cranberries, goat cheese, and chopped walnuts. The recipe was great and I think  that more Saturdays at home will be reserved for developing meatloaves with twists.

Here's what you'll need...

For the meatloaf mix:
1 lb ground beef
1 sweet onion diced
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons parsley

For the crust:
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup goat cheese
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Let's get started...

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Grease a loaf pan (8x4x2.5 inches); set aside. Wash your hands and remove jewelry.

3. In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients and knead with your hands until evenly distributed.

3. In a large (separate) bowl, combine all of the meatloaf mix ingredients and knead with your hands until evenly distributed.

4. Press the meatloaf mix into the loaf pan.

5. Distribute the crust mixture across the top of the loaf and press into the meat gently.

6. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until meat is cooked to a safe temperature.

We served our loaf with mashed potatoes, an onion gravy, and green beans. The flavors combine nicely to a balance of sweet and savory. Enjoy!

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I managed to turn 25 in the middle of them and fit in quite a bit of crockpot cooking. It is wonderful sitting in traffic on your way home from work knowing that dinner is making itself. Then, walking into your house, smelling the lovely dinner you didn't slave over all afternoon. All it takes is a bit of prep over the weekend or the night before you are ready to enjoy your crockpot delight. And you don't need a fancy crockpot to make this happen -- a $20 model from Target will do all the tricks.

Last month's Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine featured some base crockpot recipes that could be incorporated in many different meals. We tried the Slow and Low Chipotle Maple Beef recipe in Sesame Noodle Bowls and froze the leftover beef to be used in tacos in an upcoming week.

Afterward, we enjoyed her recipe for Sweet Chili Hot Wings. Ours were a bit overcooked because they were cooking throughout my whole workday, but the sauce was a great balance of sweet and spicy. On the side there is chopped tomato and cucumber tossed with feta cheese and oil and vinegar. Simple, fresh sides to balance the ease of your crockpot chicken.

If you are looking for some time savers to help you keep up with a weekly menu -- like we are this year -- consider some our recent chili posts, available in the recipe index. Keep in mind that you can freeze portions for quick dinners or easy to pack lunches.

Trying to find the perfect chili dish to serve a large crowd for this weekend's Super Bowl? This guide of 10 great chili recipes gives you options of stovetop / crockpot and meat / vegetarian recipes -- find what works for your football fans.

The second Great Chili Cook Off took a bit longer than we anticipated -- but we just tried our last delicious recipe, Steak and Sweet Potato chili with cocoa powder and cinnamon. If you are looking for a Superbowl chili recipe -- this is it, the winner of the cook off!

One of our New Year's resolutions included keeping up with our weekly menu planning. So, only a few weeks into 2014, we are doing our very best. Crockpot cooking does help us stick to a plan, make enough for leftovers (i.e. less lunches purchased), and minimize wait time for dinner after we get home from work. For this recipe we were even able to use leftover frozen sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving. We are going to keep working to find creative ways to enjoy great dinners and keep food spending down -- that work for our small family.

Here's what you'll need...

olive oil
1/3 cup minced garlic
1 sweet onion chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
2 cooked sweet potatoes mashed (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons chili powder
6 thick strip steaks cubed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can spiced diced tomatoes

Let's get started...

1. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Turn until peppers are soft and onions are transparent.

2. Wash sweet potatoes and poke holes throughout. Cook in microwave on high for about 8 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool, then scoop potato into bowl. Mash gently -- chunks will soften in chili.

3. Combine beef, tomatoes, beans, broth, spices and mashed sweet potatoes in crockpot.

4. Mix cooked onions and peppers into chili.

5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7+ hours. Make sure that beef is cooked through before serving.

6. Serve with crumbled feta and sour cream.

Our runner up is definitely the Vegetarian Quinoa Chili. We have been quinoa skeptics for some time, but were impressed at how rich this chili was without meat. Plus, it was the first chili I made that was spicy enough for our household's lead food critic.

Finding ourselves at the conclusion of this Great Chili Cook Off means that I have created a somewhat comprehensive set of chili recipes -- that is 10 chili recipes. Whoa.

We are closing in on our five chili recipes! Recipe number four is different from the others because it spends its last few moments under the broiler to create a crispy corn topping. I put it together in a casserole for a shared dish, but this could be prepared in individual pie plates or ramekins for a more personal presentation. Also, I prepared this recipe stovetop, but if you are looking for some extra spice, giving it a few hours to stew in a crockpot may be the best approach.

Here's what you'll need...

For the chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (28 ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
1 (15.5 ounce) can northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the crispy topping:
3 cups vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups corn grits or polenta

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Let's get started...

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and turn in the hot oil until softened. Add garlic and mix in tomato paste.

2. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes. Mix in spices thoroughly and reduce to medium heat.

3. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it has thickened to desired consistency.

4. As your chili cooks, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Heat oil for topping over medium high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the peppers and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Add broth to the peppers and bring to a boil. Stir in corn grits or polenta. Continue to stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Allow the corn to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Transfer chili to 9 x 13 baking dish or portion into individual oven safe dishes. Crumble corn topping over each chili.

8. Bake for 15 minutes. Then broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until topping begins to brown.

9. Serve with avocado, cheese and sour cream.

Our last chili recipe will be coming soon -- Steak and Sweet Potato Chili with cocoa and spice. This recipe has been on our menu for weeks, but keeps falling through. Here's to hoping that this week pans out and you can pick your favorite chili to take to a Superbowl party in just a few weeks.

It is has been a busy month of holiday cheer and I am looking forward to what 2014 will bring. I hope that you had a wonderful holiday too!

Let's pick up where we left off because it is still cold outside and I know you are in need of some warm chili recipes. We will get back to holiday chit-chat and New Year's resolutions later. So far in this year's Great Chili Cookoff, we've tried:

Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

And now we are going to enjoy Turkey Apple Chili.

Here's what you'll need...

2 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeños
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 lb lean ground turkey
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 green apples,unpeeled, cored and diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup applesauce

Let's get started....

1. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

2. Add turkey, onions, peppers, and garlic and toss until cooked through about 8 minutes.

3. Stir in spices thoroughly.

4. Mix in apples, beans, tomatoes, and applesauce.

5. Stir as the chili comes to a boil, then reduce heat.

6. Cook for about 15 minutes until apples are soft.

7. Serve with sour cream and feta cheese.

Delicious, the soft apples add a sweetness to the kick in the tomato chili. Feta cheese with sweet and tart fruit is one of my favorite pairings. Enjoy!

The pressure is on now, Thanksgiving is happening this week, whether we are ready or not. So let's go ahead and be ready. We are excited to welcome our family to our first Thanksgiving in our new home. We are keeping the menu traditional and somewhat simple so that we can focus on some fun details and on our company. We will have a total of 1 vegetarian, 6 adult turkey-eaters and 1 kid turkey-eater. Here's what we have planned...

Appetizers
Served at 3:00 PM
Shrimp Cocktail
Baked Raspberry Brie

Thanksgiving Dinner
Served at 5:00 PM
Oven Roasted Turkey (14 lbs)
Turkey Dripping Gravy
Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar Crumble
Green Bean Casserole
Individual Spinach + Artichoke Macaroni Bites
Sweet Yellow Corn
Cranberry Sauce
Crescent Rolls with Cinnamon Butter Spread

Dessert
Mom's Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Apple Carrot Cake

My friends gave me the opportunity to do a dry run of a turkey dinner earlier in the year, so I am feeling good going into my first Thanksgiving hosting experience. Worrying is controlled because I have a plan. I asked my guests to bring some items and I will have jobs for them to do in the kitchen to keep things on schedule for Thursday's dinner. With only a few days to go before the big day, here are some tips from my home to yours. 

1. Set It Up
Give your table setting a dry run to make sure that you have enough plates, serving dishes, napkins, utensils, and glasses. It may seem unnecessary, but it easy to over-estimate what you have on hand. 

2. Plan for Surprises
There's no need to cook more than you need -- but it is best to have enough for one or two more in case of surprise guests. 
Make sure you have a few extra place settings too.

3. Get Brewing
Set up the coffee maker before you sit down to dinner so that you can have hot coffee ready as soon as you hit your dessert course.

4. Brown Paper Packages
Before your dishes move from the kitchen to the table, be prepared for them to return to the kitchen. Try to clean up prep space as you work. Then, lay out the leftover packing supplies. If you have guests heading on their way after dinner, wrap up a serving or two for them to take home.

5. Be Thankful
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of burning rolls and mixed up seating arrangements, we can forget to be thankful. Or the family sits down at the table and plays and awkward game of who's going to say the blessing. No need to put anyone on the spot, prepare a prayer or poem card for each of you guests that the group can recite together. 

I cannot think of a year that I had more to be thankful for. I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings and look forward to seeing how you will be celebrating this year (Instagram @themostcolorfulone). HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Here's what you'll need...

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or more, to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cups corn kernels
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

Let's get started...

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, stir until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. 

2. Stir in quinoa, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, cayenne pepper, and coriander.

3. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

4. Serve with avocado, cheese, sour cream, and lime.

This recipe has more heat than the first and has already secured the lead over the Pumpkin Chicken Chili. My meat-eating husband was happy with the meat-free recipe and thought the quinoa added enough depth to the chili to make up for any missing protein. The meat will be back in the next contender -- Turkey Apple Chili.

Fall has arrived full force with wintry winds. There are few means to warm up better than a bowlful of chili. We enjoyed this recipe with cornbread as trick-or-treaters braved a blustery and rainy Halloween evening. As the first recipe of this seasons Great Chili Cook Off, we tried a Pumpkin Chicken Chili recipe from Your Home Based Mom.

This recipe can simmer all day in the crockpot or made stovetop in 30 to 40 minutes.

Here's what you'll need...

1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 pounds ground chicken
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Let's get started...

1. Cook chicken over medium high heat until browned to a safe temperature. Set aside.

2. Toss onions, garlic, and peppers with olive oil and salt and pepper over high heat. Stir until peppers are softened and onions are transparent.

3. Add tomatoes, broth, and pumpkin to peppers and onions. Stir in spices.

4. Mix in all other ingredients. Reduce to medium heat.

5. Simmer until ready to serve.

We enjoyed the chili but did not taste the pumpkin at all. Although it did help to thicken the stew. We would advise to add a second or even third can of pumpkin to have the flavor come through.

As you surf through Pinterest stocking up on Thanksgiving and holiday ideas, don't forget to stop by and offer up ideas for other chilis.

On my way home from work today, I was physically wanting for Christmas music. It was like my brain was going to explode with all the excitement of knowing that we are just a few weeks away from the most wonderful time of the year.

In an effort to calm the heck down, I reminded myself of all the fall there is left to enjoy. And what better way than to fill our home with the warmth of five new chili recipes in our Second Annual Great Chili Cookoff? 

To get inspired we started by whetting our appetites with last year's winner, Chili Mac N' Cheese. Delicious. Before we get to posting new chili ideas, we invite you to revisit some of last year's recipes on your own:

Butternut Squash Vegetarian Chili
Buffalo Chicken Chili
3 Bean Vegetarian Chili
Chicken + Sausage White Bean Chili

I'll let you in on a little secret -- we are already two weeks into eating this season's chili contenders and enjoying the journey. So far we have tried...

Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Quinoa Vegetarian Chili

Coming up...

Apple Turkey Chili
Crispy Corn Chili

But then what...I am looking for some recipes that you are interested in -- have you seen recipe ideas that you aren't bold enough to try? Pawn them off to me and we will give them a whirl in the Most Colorful One test kitchen. Seriously, let's see what you've got.

It is fall and according to the internet we are supposed to be eating lots of pumpkin. In any shape or form -- pumpkin. I agree. I could only agreed more when I came across Shutterbean's Pumpkin Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches. What!? Yes, pumpkin ice cream sandwiches with sugary gingerbread slices.

Before your eyes drown in the goodness that is a pumpkin ice cream sandwich -- I want to share with you some upcoming news. Because of all the fun we had with the Great Chili Cook Off last winter, we are bringing it back with the Second Annual Great Chili Cook Off. We will be kicking it off with a pumpkin chicken chili next week.

Back to business. Ice cream.

Here's what you'll need...

for the pecan pumpkin ice cream:

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons salted butter
pinch salt
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 pints (1 quart) pumpkin ice cream


for the cookie layer:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 Let's get started...

1. Melt butter and sugar over medium high heat. Add pecans, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the pecans are well coated. Set aside.

2. Let ice cream out at room temperature so that it can be easily scooped and stirred into a large bowl. 

3. Add pecan mixture and blend thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the freezer.

4. Line your 8x8 glass or metal dish with parchment paper, hanging over the edges for easy removal later. And preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. 

6. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, molasses and vanilla. 

7. Carefully add the flour mixture to the butter blend until batter is even.

8. Spread half the batter in each of your baking dishes (or preserve half of the batter for a second baking round).

9. Bake for 12 minutes -- until browned and tender.

10. Cool completely.

11. Spoon all ice cream onto the first sandwich layer. Top with second layer.

12. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 5 hours.

13. Transfer to a cutting surface and slice into pieces as desired.

EAT! Add this to your Thanksgiving to do list.  And don't forget to stop by next week for the start to the Great Chili Cook Off.

There are weekends that we want to get out and do some exploring, but often we don't want to go too far so we end up exploring the same parks, museums and neighborhoods around our area. We have found that adding some friendly competition to our weekend afternoon outings can add some intrigue to a place we may have visited once or ten times before. Our friendly competition comes in the form of photography. If you think that this is too dorky for for anyone's good, head to the recipe index to revisit some photos of my mouthwatering apple carrot cake. Otherwise keep scrolling and find out who won our most recent photo contest.

Last week we took on a few vantage points in downtown Pittsburgh as well as a pit stop on the Great Allegheny Passage. Note, that neither of us have any education in how to use a camera -- no shame. And, yes, you can totally do this with a camera fun. Here's how it goes [for us]...

At each location, participants get the opportunity to take 10 photos. Pictures can be landscapes, details, interesting people shots or whatever you are interested in capturing.  We are usually thinking about what we could frame and throw up on a wall somewhere in our house.

1. Whoever is not driving between locations or when heading home gets to sort through the whole lot and assume his fate as the winner or loser.
   
   
2. Decide how the winner will be determined -- will it be up to the participants to take a vote or will it be up to your friends on Facebook (yeah, take it there).
   
   
3. Each participant selects 3 to 5 photos to put in the running.
   
   
4. Make them big -- scroll through the selected photos on a computer screen or hook them up to a television screen. Work your way through until you have a winner.
   
   
5. GLOAT about your great photography skills and your ability to really capture the essence of that blade of grass or architectural element.
   

This is what we came up with, but I won't tell you which ones or mine. Michael says the day ended in a beautiful tie. Let us know what you think -- I know you'll make the right choice.

The whole lemon squares idea began this weekend when Michael exclaimed that he wanted those tea lemon bars that Kim made for us a few months ago. And as soon as he said it, I was hungry for them too. I used a recipe slightly adapted from the Gingered Whisk to get started.

These are simple to put together -- just remember they will need some time to cool before serving. They are tart with a sweet crust and could compliment other desserts instead of overpowering like other lemon recipes often do.

Enough chitchat though, you need to get working on these.

Here's what you'll need...

For the crust:
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Earl Grey tea bag
1/8 tsp salt
8 TBSP chilled butter, cut into pieces

For the filling:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Earl Grey tea bag
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp lemon zest
3 eggs
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Let's get started...

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 glass or metal baking dish with greased parchment paper that hags over the edges about 2 inches.

2. Start by preparing the crust. Combine flour, sugar, tea leaves from bag, and salt. Add butter and mix with your hands until the mixture is in crumbled pieces.

3. Press crumbled pieces into baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

4. While the crust is baking, start working on the filling. Heat lemon juice in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.

5. Mix tea leaves from bag in the lemon juice, cover, and steep for about 10 minutes.

6. Separately, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder.

7. Add eggs and zest to the lemon juice.

8. Whisk wet ingredients to flour, sugar, and baking powder until well blended.

9. Pour filling over baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is set.

10. Cool on wire rack.

11. Sift powdered sugar over lemon squares and serve.

Then go play some Scrabble and eat some more squares. Enjoy.

Fall really caught up to us all of sudden. We are just getting back from a walk in the brisk fall air -- even though two days ago I was in shorts in the yard. Anyway, with autumn upon us, my mind is racing toward the holidays and lots of warm recipes for sharing. 

Pot pies were never on our regular dinner rotation when I was growing up. Probably because my mom did not want to put in the effort knowing that at least two out of three kids would complain about the vegetables, mushy crust at the bottom, or anything they could come up with, really. I definitely cannot blame her. After all, as one of the two picky eaters, I didn't really want to go through the whole whining and punishing charade at the table either. But now, I use onions, squash, mushrooms and so many other things that would have required a stern talk to convince me to swallow in my younger years. So pot pies are just making their way onto my recipe repertoire now -- and for starters I am only putting things in them that my 7-year-old self would approve of -- I don't want to get carried away here. First up, apple pulled pork pot pies, an original recipe.

I am still floating on my creative cloud with this one I am too afraid to search for others' renditions -- so don't tell me if this only a new to me kind of recipe. I started looking into apple dumplings when I came up with the idea to combine sweet fall recipe with a classic dinner entrée. 

Here's what you'll need...

~2 lb pork roast
2 cups applesauce
1 tbsp Penzey's Bavarian Seasoning

OR
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

2 pie crusts
2 Granny Smith apples
1 box Panni Bavarian Dumpling Mix
2 eggs

Let's get started...

1. Blend your seasoning mix well into the applesauce. 

2. With clean cooking shears, make a few cuts into the pork roast to help it cook more quickly and be filled with moist flavor.

3. Pour the applesauce mixture over the pork and cook in a crockpot on high (about 4 hours) or in the oven (about 1.25 hours) until the meat has reached a safe temperature of 160 degrees.

4. While the meat cooks, prepare your pie crusts and other filling ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pie crusts on a cutting surface. Trace your individual baking dishes with a knife to create eight circles (the top and bottom crusts). Set aside.

5. Prepare the dumpling mix as directed, while bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Roll and cook the dumplings as directed. Drain and set aside to cool.

6. Line the backing dishes with your bottom crusts and lightly wash with egg.

7. Set all backing dishes on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until the crusts begin to brown.

8. Remove the pork from its cooking pan to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Preserve extra juice for gravy.

9. Peel and grate your apples.

10. Cut dumplings into bite size chunks.

12. With a fork and knife, or carefully with clean hands, pull pork apart into a mixing bowl.

13. Combine apple and dumplings with pulled pork pieces.

14. Fill each baking dish with a healthy serving of filling to create your pot pie hump. Add a ladle-full of preserve gravy to each pot pie.

15. Make 4 slices into the center of the top crusts and place over each pie. Brush tops with egg wash.

16. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until crusts are golden. 

17. Reheat gravy and serve pies with a vegetable side. Shown with steamed carrots and walnuts with brown sugar and cinnamon. 

These pies are sweet with gooey potato-y bites -- delicious -- without any mushy bottom crusts. My 7-year-old self would be in elbow deep and my 24-year-old self had to restrain the desire. 

I am thinking this recipe will be adaptable for Thanksgiving leftovers -- perhaps apple cranberry turkey pot pies. Stay tuned.

 And then it was fall. And fall brings hankerings for warm and sweet treats. And I think that this weekend I made the most delicious dessert that I have ever baked-- apple carrot cake.

Let's break this down -- we are getting fruits and vegetables in a cake and we can frost it as a stylistic mess to resemble a fall caramel apple. Perfection.

Based on a recipe from Southern Living.

Here's what you'll need...

2 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp apple pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
3/4 vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 peeled and grated Granny Smith apples
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
Apple Caramel Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting

Let's get started...

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. 

2. Spread half of the pecans evenly in the bottom of each pan.

3. Sift together flour, apple pie spice, salt, baking soda, and sugar.

4. Beat together eggs, oil, butter milk, and vanilla.

5. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture. Fold in apples and carrots. Stir until well blended.

6. Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a fork inserted in the middle comes out clean.

7. Cool cakes completely. 

8. Place one cake layer, pecan side down, on a serving plate. Spread apple caramel frosting on first layer.

9. Place second layer, pecan side down, atop first layer. Spread cream cheese frosting and allow excess to ooze down sides of cake. Top with pecans or walnuts for decoration.

The total time to make the cake is about three and a half hours, but if you don't have the time to grate carrots and apples yourself, you can take some other elements from the recipe and add them to a cake mix process -- like lining your cake pans with pecans. Just like adding one ingredient to simple dinner recipes, there are great ways to add some extra flair dessert starters.

But in any case, go make this cake. Happy fall to you!

How was your week? Were you able to take advantage of your evenings -- get things done around your house? make a special dinner for yourself?

I spent some time getting my closet organized. I worked on hanging some more artwork on the walls. And I headed to my first ballet class in more than six years. It was something different at the end of my week, a taste of something from my past, and something refreshing. And it was hard. Picking up anything after six years is bound to be challenging, but that was part of the refreshment -- that I was able to do it.

Last week I promised a one ingredient twist on an easy dinner. Mint. A simple chicken sandwich can be something different, something more refreshing with a minted yogurt marinade. Based on a recipe from Rachael Ray.

Let's get started...

1. In bowl, mix first 5 ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
2. Set aside 1/4 cup sauce. Coat chicken with remaining sauce; let sit 10 minutes. In grill pan, cook over medium-high, 3 to 4 minutes per side; pull apart.
3. Stuff pitas with chicken, lettuce and tomato; drizzle with reserved sauce.

Was that easy or what? Enjoy.

I have been amazed over the last few weeks to find myself so tired when I get home from work. It was only a few months ago that I was working and then heading to school or home to stay up and do homework. Now I get home at 6:00 without obligations and all I want to do is ... nothing. And then it seems that when I try to fill my evenings with worthwhile activities, they just don't pan out. The ballet class that I was supposed to start on Monday evening was cancelled due to low enrollment. I guess that means that there are lots of others out there who don't want to do anything by the time they find themselves at home after a full day of work.
But I am saying no to this mentality -- after all, these are the best times of our lives, right? So, I found another ballet class to try and looking forward to it. And I am kicking up some of my weeknight meals with favorites that I never made for dinner before and by adding punchy ingredients to basic dishes for a new weeknight experiences.

Shrimp scampi, and seafood in general, are engraved in my mind as special occasion foods that are pricey and not meant for just any day. But I love shrimp scampi and when cooking for one or two, it is no more expensive to prepare than any other cut of meat that may be on the table. Sunday, I was cooking for one and enjoyed a delectable bowlful of simple shrimp scampi with Bravo on in the background. I had butter, olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice on hand; so the total cost was about ~$7.00 (~0.5 lb shrimp // 3 servings).

I wanted to do this right -- so I followed a Barefoot Contessa video recipe. It's like the easiest dish on the planet, what have I been thinking not making this more often? When it comes to these weeknight slumps, even if I don't feel like being productive, I am gong to start getting myself to feel like creating a great dinner. Later I will share how I used one ingredient to change the whole dynamic of a basic sandwich dinner for one. 

With all the terribleness out there in the world right now, it is hard to accept that sometimes I am bored or too tired to get out into the world after work. I get antsy about what I am not doing to make the world a better place. But then I try to be grateful for what I have, recognize that I can't fix everything, and say to myself: "I'm 24, I worked hard today, and I am having shrimp scampi for dinner." And that is just fine for today. Tomorrow I will find a new way to calm myself down from the same situation. We'll see how that goes when 6:00 hits.

I enjoy having people around -- it is great to share our space, meals, to break out the board games, or turn the living room into a dance club. We have proven our love for having people around by hosting 26 overnight guests since we moved into our house...less than three months ago. Whew, I am exhausted just thinking about that idea, but it has been a great summer. 

When I was younger, I would prepare our parents' house for guests as a not-so-make-believe Full of Love Hotel. Working with my sister, this would entail itineraries, room keys, turn down services, branded soaps, and big breakfasts. 

Now that my husband and I are in our own space, we have created a new Full of Love Hotel property that I call the Y at Forest Hills. And I am all for hospitality, especially when you invite friends or family to stay with you. But, when the hotel is not charging, there have to be some limitations on the hospitality. It is also my opinion that hospitality goes both ways. Things don't always go according to plan; I am not always successful at pulling all the pieces together, but here are a few of my tenets for the two way street of hospitality: 

1. Make your guests comfortable. Try to prepare all of the elements of their stay so that they don't have to ask for anything from water to blankets, to hair dryers.

2. Treat your guests as they would like to be treated. If you guests don't like to be catered to, give them their own space. If they want to help, try to have tasks ready for them to lend a hand with.

3. Treat your host as they would like to be treated. If you host is shy or modest, don't make a big deal about things. If your host has things under control, listen to them when they say they don't need help.

4. Do what you gotta do. If you need people to bring their own towels or sheets, ask. If you need to run out to get extra ice while your guests are enjoying their stay, run out. 

5. Have a signature drink. It may be water, it may be mint iced tea, or it may be sangria -- have lots of it on hand in pitchers for guests to grab on their own when they are thirsty.

6. If something gets broken or stained, let the host know -- you don't have to offer to replace it, but keep them informed and apologize. And as the host, don't make a big deal out of broken items, especially in front of other guests.

7. Make breakfast. If you are staying at my house, there will be breakfast. We don't have to talk about it; you don't have to eat it; but it will be there if you are hungry.

8. Brew coffee. Not a coffee drinker? Me either, but everyone else is.

9. Set the table. Having the table set will bring order to your space and help guests organize themselves without your supervision. 

10. Send them off. Have water bottles on hand, offer to drive guests to the airport, continue to make your guests comfortable as they head on their way.

It's all in the personal details when it comes to hospitality -- guests should know what they are going to get when they arrive or be pleasantly surprised with the extra touches they find.