Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins

Have a new recipe to try. I'm thinking this will warm up the house before dinner. (Note: I made these last night and they are tasty, tasty, tasty! Will definitely be baking these again!)

Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins from Melissa F.
Yield: 2 dozen
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice**
3 tablespoons sugar
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine pumpkin, butter, and eggs in another bowl and add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chopped apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.
**My tip: if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and woila! - you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (and it is much cheaper than buying it premade).

It's Snowing!

I just looked outside and it's snowing! Thank goodness it wasn't during trick or treating yesterday. The wind was bad enough. I'll post a picture of the kids when I get a chance. Carissa wanted to be a princess, but it was just too cold. She was a ladybug (or lovebug) and Simon was a shark. Carissa got to change into Cinderella when she got home to hand out candy to the other trick or treaters. For it being so cold, having fewer houses handing out candy and not going as far, we sure have a huge lot of loot! Soooooo tempting!

Fun Quote

Sometimes a quote just catches my fancy. Here's the one for today:

To succeed in life, you need three things:
a wishbone, a backbone and a funny-bone.
~Reba McEntire

Happy Tuesday!

Salisbury Steak

This is my kid's new favorite recipe. Simon even ate the mushrooms in this (of course I may have told him that they were big seasoning pieces)!

Salisbury Steak
1lb Lean Ground Beef
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs or Cracker Crumbs
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 Egg
Small Onion Sliced
1 Can Condensed Beef Broth
1 – 4oz Can Sliced Mushrooms (Drained)
2 T. Cornstarch
2T Water
1 - Packet Brown Gravy Mix or 1 - Jar/Can Brown Gravy
Mix First 5 ingredients together and shape into ovals about ¾ inches thick. Cook patties in a skillet turning once until brown.
Add onion mushroom and beef broth heat to boiling. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove patties to a casserole dish and keep warm.
Heat remaining mixture until boiling. Mix water and cornstarch together to make a paste.
Add to boiling mixture with a wire whisk and whisk until gravy begins to thicken.
Pour the gravy over the patties in the casserole dish and bake at 350 until bubbly. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

Such a dork

The last time I went to CVS, I scanned my card before I started shopping, like I always do. My coupons started printing and then I noticed one for $7.98 extra cash back. Oh, be still my beating heart! I was so excited to get this unexpected bonus, I danced a little jig right then & there, really! And if you think that a 4o yr old fluffy woman can't dance a jig, well think again. :)Course, then I quickly looked around to see who noticed, smiled at the Grandma checking out who thought I had more than a few screws loose, gave a little squeeze to my coupons and proceeded on down the aisle. Oh, some days it takes so little to make me happy!

10/10/1998

Yikes! It was ten years ago today that David & I were married. It was a day much like today, sunny and beautiful weather. I was up early that morning, very excited to get going. I remember how much fun my sisters, my friend DeeDee and I had getting dressed at our house. I rode to the church in my oldest sister's van, with her window down and Sue honking and yelling "Hey, see the bride? She's getting married today!" to everyone who walked by.
I remember waiting at the back of the church with my Dad, being totally overwhelmed at starting my married life. Excited, nervous, happy, and sure of my intent, all at the same time. My sister,Rita, kept telling me to smile, trying to get me to laugh, not to be too tearful. But, I just couldn't help all the emotion pouring out my eyes.
I remember David and the tears in his eyes when I walked down the aisle. That day was the most beautiful I have ever felt. (And yes, dear, they were tears, not dust that miraculously got in your eyes!)
I remember seeing David, in his tux, looking all handsome, at the front of the church and knowing that this was absolutely the right move for us. This was the man I was about to marry.
I remember getting very teary again when reciting my vows, meaning them with all my heart and soul and thanking God for this man by my side.
I remember not being able to look at David without tears and trying to look somewhere else to regain my composure. So, I looked at our best man, David's Dad, who was no help at all because he was crying more than me. So I looked at Grandpa in the pew. He wasn't any better. And, I remember being so touched that these men felt emotion in such a powerful way.
I remember looking out at the church when we lit our unity candle. Seeing all our friends and relatives in church, being unbelievable grateful that we were blessed by so many.
I remember walking into the reception and seeing the beautiful room, all soft and glowing with little white twinkling lights. And then spying the delicious chocolate covered strawberries. It was all gorgeous.
I remember a really fun night of dancing and greeting everyone who was at the reception. A grand march full of a bridal party in Badger hats. Well, it was homecoming at the UW that weekend.
And, I remember driving away with a car that was 'decorated' by our wedding party and friends (you know who you are, and so do I!) The pumpkins on the back tires were a nice touch, even if a bit messy.
Ten years, two children, nad too many grey hairs between us to count. And, you know what? I have no regrets and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I love you David.
Anne

Toffee Crackers

1 c. light brown sugar
24 sq. unsalted saltines
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips
Arrange saltines in a single layer on an aluminum foil covered 9x13 cookie sheet. Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil and boil for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Remove sugar/butter mixture from heat; stir in vanilla and pour over crackers.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Keep a constant watch on it because ovens vary in temperature and it will burn very easily.
Allow cookie pan to cool for 5-10 minutes, or until it is set.
Distribute chocolate chips evenly over the top; spread with a knife when they have softened. Cool by covering with foil and put in the refrigerator.
To get it out of the cookie sheet, turn opposite corners like you would an ice cube tray and the whole sheet of toffee should pop out. Then you can cut, break, or tear off pieces as neatly or haphazardly as you like. Or, if you're impatient like I am, I just rip 'em apart, leaving them in whatever shape they naturally occur. Then either refrigerate until dessert, or freeze until the gala event.