Butternut Squash, Apple & Carrot Soup

Today I'm going to share with you my favorite fall recipe. I make this soup once a year. One because it is a higher priced meal to make and two because once I've finally finished the one batch I am ready to save it again till the next year. A couple of years ago I came across this soup at the grocery store Earth Fare. They have samples of soup everyday and this particular day I got to try this soup. It was so good I had to try and recreate it! The soup was labeled with all the ingredients but not the measurements. So, I bought all the ingredients that day so the taste would be fresh in my mind and with a lot of tasting and hovering over the stove top I finally got to the store taste! I was so thankful! Thankfully it doesn't take as long to make and I now have my recipe! I wasn't sure if I was going to share because I love the idea of secret family recipes but then I thought what a disservice to others! I really hope you enjoy this special recipe!

There it is, my favorite soup!

Well, I didn't take step by step pictures this time because I have changed this recipe into a Crock Pot recipe, so there aren't very many steps now! The great thing about the Crock Pot is not only the ability to leave it but also the great smells it adds to your home! After only an hour your home will start to smell like Fall!

Butternut Squash, Apple & Carrot Soup

Here's what you need:

7-8 cups Butternut Squash cubed (You can use fresh or frozen or refrigerator bags)

4 medium Apples peeled and cubed (I usually use Gala or Fuji)

1 1/2 cup Carrots

1 medium Yellow Onion quartered

6 cups Chicken broth

1 stick Salted Butter

1/4 cup Honey

1- 1 1/12 cup cooking Cream Sherry

1 cup Half n Half

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1 tbsp Rosemary

1 tsp each Salt & Pepper

1/2 tbsp each Cloves, Nutmeg, All Spice

Alrighty! Step by Step:

Step 1: Veggies go in first.

Step 2: Add Sherry and Chicken broth, Spices, Honey and Butter (cut into tablespoons), mix well.

Step 3: Cook on low for 6 hrs or high for 4. This meal is great because it won't hurt it to cook for a long time but after two hours everything should be soft enough to mix!

Step 4: After it has cooked for the duration you need it to, puree. For this step, I have used it all! I have poured into a blender, used a mixer but now I have the best kitchen tool ever; the Cuisinart Smart Stick, which is an immersion hand blender! It works wonders!

Step 5: Add the Sour Cream and Half & Half, mix well.

Step 6: Taste test! This will be your time to see if you want to add anything else! Sometimes it needs more salt, sometimes more Sherry. :)

Step 7: Enjoy! 

I hope you all enjoy! I'm planning to make this again for Thanksgiving dinner as an appetizer! 

Fall Pumpkin Flower Arrangement

Last weekend my husband and I had a yard sale with his parents! In preparing for the sale we decided to go through just about everything we could to see what we could get rid of so we could de-clutter our home. Thankfully for me, and just in time too, I came across my fall decorations from previous years that I had completely forgotten about. One item in particular I was happy to find again and use!

I got this ceramic pumpkin as a gift two years ago and it had real flowers in it. I have been saving it since!

Keeping with the flower theme I went to the store to get this green flower arranger along with various flowers.

Then I just started playing around with some different options using the bigger flowers first.

Once I felt like it was finished I found it a new home on  our dining room table.

Then I thought about the leftovers from my last flower project and added a few leaves.

And here is the finished product!

The lace plate is a find from IKEA! Love that store! And the place setting underneath I found at a thrift store for .25c!

Fall Muffins: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Flaxseed Muffins

The Apple Season is upon us! We will hopefully be picking apples next month in Ellijay, GA, but for now store bought apples will have to indulge my fall cravings.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Flaxseed Muffins

Cook time: 16-18 Minutes
Yields 9 muffins
Preheat oven to 400

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup White Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/3 cup Canola Oil (or Veggie- doesn't make a difference)
1 egg
1/2 cup plain Apple Sauce (if you have cinnamon apple sauce just cut the ground cinnamon in half)
1 apple (I use Gala apples when baking- they are my favorite but you can use whatever you prefer)
1/3 cup each of Flaxseed and Oatmeal


Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Then add the oil, egg and apple sauce.

Step 2: Dice the apple in small pieces- fold them into the mixture along with the oatmeal and flaxseed. 

Step 3: Mix well and scoop into your muffin pan. If you are not using muffin liners make sure to grease your pan well.

Tip: When you do not use the whole muffin tin add a small amount of water to the unused cups. It will protect your pan and make your muffins/cupcakes moist.

Step  4: Place in your preheated oven for 16-18 minutes. I put a small amount of sugar on top of the muffins, too.

Step 5: Enjoy! 

Fall Wreath

Newest Craft Project: Fall Wreath!

I really love having a wreath on my door for every season. If you have ever went into a store to buy a wreath you would be surprised at the prices. Even on Etsy they can get to be over 100$ for a wreath! Well I wouldn't want to pay that especially when I can just do it myself! 

First I went to Michael's Craft store to get a wreath. I picked a medium sized one and got it for 50% off with my weekly ad coupon! 

Then I went to the Dollar Store. Sometimes I have to shop around for flowers but currently they were the cheapest. I got 6 stems, four different flowers and two different leaves. 

 The stems can be hard to work with sometimes so I pull the flowers off.

I laid out the flowers on the wreath how I liked them. I started off to one side at first but then I decided to go ahead and put all the flowers at the bottom. I used hot glue to glue them down once I decided I liked how I had them.

I got some ribbon while at the dollar store, too! I formed a double bow and cut the ends. Took me a while to figure out what kind of bow I wanted but I like how it turned out.

 Here is my finished product!

Total cost: 10$
Total time: 30-45 minutes

Fall Soup: Potato, Broccoli & Cheddar

Its starting to feel a lot like fall here in Chattanooga! Fall is my favorite season, I love to cuddle up with warmth surrounding me, watch the leaves change color and feel the brisk air outside. One thing I love for fall especially for my tummy is a good hearty soup. I hope you enjoy this as much as my Husband and I did. He is still talking about it (days later).

Potato, Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

Here's what you need!

• 8-10 slices thick cut bacon (Or more for you bacon lovers)
• 1 Medium Onion, minced
• 3 Garlic Cloves about 1 1/2 tsp, minced
• 1 Medium size crown of Broccoli (or more if you'd like), cut into small florets
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 2 tbsp Flour
• 4 cups Chicken Broth - I used regular sodium but you can use low sodium it won't change the taste
• 6-8 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 Cup Half and Half
• 3 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream (light or regular- doesn't matter)
• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 tsp Salt and 1/2 tsp Pepper or more to taste

Not pictured: Broccoli and cream cheese, sorry i'm human! Forgot them! Ha! :)

Step 1: Cook the Bacon in the oven on a baking sheet lined with foil at 350 for 12-15 min. Your bacon will cook evenly and not shrivel up! Yay! Tip: This makes for an easy clean up to, when foil has cooled roll up and throw away. No dealing with grease or washing yet another pan!

I know there is a lot pictured there, you only need 8-10 pieces, I'm using the rest for another recipe!

Step 2: Heat Skillet on medium high heat with about 2 tbsp of Cooking Oil (I used Olive Oil). Meanwhile mince the onions. I have a great Pampered Chef Product that makes it easy: Manuel Food Processor

Step 3: Add the Garlic and Flour

It will start to smell soooo yummy!

Step 4: Mix ingredients well- It should become lumpy. Tip: Pour flour only onion, not directly on pan. You are currently making a rouge, aren't you proud of yourself!

Step 5: Add in 1 cup of Chicken broth and stir till mixture becomes thick. During this time turn your crock pot on to low. You will be adding the hot mixture to it so you'll want it to be warm to avoid cracking the stone.

Step 6: Turn the mixture to low/simmer while you dice the potatoes. (Next time I will cut mine smaller). You want them to be small enough pieces to fit on your spoon!  Remember to rinse your potatoes before you peel. I warn you because I forgot and had to rinse after- much harder to handle!

6-8 Medium Potatoes: Should be equal in cups.

Step 7: Add you rouge (onion mixture), the potatoes, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, thyme and the remaining amount of Chicken broth (3 cups) to the Crock Pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs.

Step 8: About 1 hour before serving. Take about three cups of the potatoes out of the crock pot and mash them with the half and half, sour cream, cream cheese and shredded cheese. Mix well and pour back into the crock pot along with the broccoli florets and bacon pieces. 

Here's what the bacon looks like- You can do this step anytime.

I used my Pampered Chef Salad Choppers to cut my bacon. I've always found that cutting bacon with scissors is so much easier than using a knife. Then I added it to the Manuel Food Processor to get it even smaller.

Step 10: Enjoy! Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Other ways to make this yummy meal.

1. Leave it on the stove instead of crock pot, it won't change the taste. (If you plan to leave the house, go with the crock pot.)

2. Sub bacon for ham or Canadian bacon.

3. Leave out broccoli to make it a Baked Potato Soup and serve with bake potato toppings such as chives, chili, various cheeses, gravy the possibilities are endless there.

4. Make it Gluten Free by substituting Rice Flour.