Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 The month of December is always crazy for any family.

It seems like December always whisks by without even knowing its there.

So to keep December simple,

I plan on keeping my meals simple.

And try and stick with low calorie since there are lots of 

Christmas feasts ahead. 

I ran across this recipe at Kaylyn's Kitchen. 

I love roasted vegetables, and green beans is one of my favorites.

So when I noticed these green beans and mushrooms I knew I had to make it.

But wait!

I have a mushroom hater in the house.

So quickly I had to come up with a replacement.

I decided to place sliced red potatoes in place of the mushrooms.

This dish is in my oven as I type.

Anything with Balsamic vinegar I tend to love. 

I'm anxious to see how this 

Roasted Green Beans with Red Potatoes, Balsamic, and Parmesan

turns out. 

 Along side my green beans I would love to see this 

Fiesta Lime Chicken from Rachel Schultz.

I think they would pair perfectly.

 And just to keep the holiday in check, these sweet little

Candy Cane Snowballs would be perfect to top off this meal.

This recipe comes from Cooking During Stolen Moments.

I hope you enjoy this as much I KNOW I will.

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 Are you ready for another Thursday menu?

This one is going to be great

simple

pleasing

and fulfilling.

 There is something about roasted vegetables that makes me

all giddy.....

I think it's the texture and flavors that just scream 'warm' and 'comforting'.

I found this recipe at The Southern Lady Cooks. 

I can't wait to make this!

All I have to do is run out and grab a green pepper.

Everything else I have on hand. 

Another nice thing about this meal, 

you should have pretty much everything in your kitchen

(except the green pepper, like me),

and you will only have to worry about cleaning

one cutting board and knife.

Chop all your veggies first, and then the meat.

One cutting board

One knife

One pan

Covered with foil

Can't get any better than that.....

With all the different flavors in the roasted vegetable dish,

I want a minty ending.

These mint chocolate cookies should do the trick.

I found this recipe at Crafty Corner.

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I'm going to.

Thanksgiving Favorites (10)

Usually Thanksgiving is full of food.

Food that you stuff yourself with and then pass out on the couch.

At my holiday dinners, the parents provide the meat and then the

kids have to fill in the rest of the meal. 

I thought I would try and make things easy for you this year.

I have put together some pretty easy dishes that you can take

to your Thanksgiving dinner.

These are some of my favorites, and I know from experience

they will disappear, and you will be returning home with

an empty dish.

 Pumpkin Pie Dip

 Jalapeno Popper Dip

 Feta Cheese Ball

 Mom's Best Veggie Dip

 Cookie Dough Cheese Ball

 Green Beans with Bacon

 Hasselback Potatoes

 Tomato Bread

Honey Beer Bread

Strawberry/Peach Cream Dessert

This recipe is linked to:
Foodie Friends Friday

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 THIS IS MY MEAL, AND I'M STICKING TO IT!

As Collin Raye may say....

Pasta with Sausage and Arugula

HMMMM.....I love arugula!

I love it in salads,

on sandwiches,

and sometimes just plain.

I love the peppery taste that it has, but I've never had it cooked.

I really, really want to try this.

This recipe comes from Girl Gone Gourmet. 

 Just one piece of this cheddar, beer and mustard pull-apart bread.

With pasta, only one piece of bread is allowed.

That's my rules, and I'm sticking to them....another Collin Raye spat. 

This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen.

And then for my sweet ending I want to try just one piece of this

Oatmeal Cookie Brittle.

You know, I'm thinking about making this up for a holiday treat.

It sure would be different than the original peanut brittle.

This recipe comes from Cookie Madness.

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 Here is a silly question that has been playing on my mind for a while.

Why do meals end with something sweet?

Is there really a correct answer to this question?

When we plan a meal we usually look at

main course

a side

and something sweet.

WHY?

If you can find an answer, please let me know.

 Since Fall is coming to an end, 

I planned this meal just to feel like I was taking a little

bit of Fall with me.....

I found this brats and beer soup at Recipes.com

It looks like a creamy dreamy sensation....

 And of course, here is another must.

WHY?

You have to have some kind of bread with your soup,

right?

I found a recipe for Scottish Short Bread.

It will be on the sweeter side,

but it should be perfect with the brats and beer.

This is a King Arthur Flour recipe.

Here is that sweet ending....

I didn't want to go with anything too heavy,

and I had fruit in mind. 

Fruit always goes great with soup.

So I found these cute little Fruit Pizzas from the Pioneer Party Blog.

They are so simple to make too.

I hope you all enjoy this meal as much as I know I will.

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

Even though we have been experiencing what is called an 

Indian Summer, I am still looking for comfort.

I know the cold temps are going to be here soon,

and I want to get my body warmed and ready.

This menu meal is perfect for doing just that.

Come along, take me to the grocery store with you by using

your high tech phone, 

or just make your list and take it along with you.

You are not going to want to let this meal pass you by.

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup just looks like comfort, doesn't it?

I thought so too.

I can't wait to eat this scrumptious bowl of creamy goodness.

I found this recipe at Jamie Cooks It Up.

She has some wonderful step by step instructions, 

and this will be completed in just minutes.

These muffins are just begging to be served with that soup,

don't you think?

Anything with feta cheese just screams comfort.

I found these gorgeous muffins at Mias Domain.

These can also be tossed together in minutes.

Stick these beauties in the oven while you are making your soup,

and you will end up with the perfect date.

Feta Corn Muffins and Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

They may even end up married.

Ending this meal, I wanted to continue with the comfort foods.

I didn't want to end it with something that was going bite

and take away from my AH feeling.

So I continued the warmth with Apple Crisp.

Pour a little cream or milk over this,

or top with whipped cream, and you will be

saying, "AHHH" as soon as you hit that evening recliner.

One thing you need to be aware of when eating this meal,

you may end up with an early bedtime.

Just a warning!

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 Last week I had to skip Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thurday

to bring you a very important recipe.

Top priority!

Very important!

And wanted to be immediately entered into kitchens....

Do you remember?

These wonderful Pumpkin/Carrot Cupcakes W/Maple Praline Frosting.

So, now that that is taken care of, we can get back to planning menus.

I have something great planned for you this week,

and I can't wait for this to be placed on my table.

 This recipe for Sunday Style Tomato Sauce with Pork

comes from Living the Gourmet.

When this recipe caught my eye, of course I had to go searching 

for more greatness that may be offered. 

I see lots of good things (foods) on this blog. 

Spend some time there and see what else YOU can find.

 Sweet Pea's Kitchen is always doing wonderful things.

But you already know that, right?

This pumpkin cornbread looks fantastic, and I'm curious to try it.

Normally it is said that you must serve garlic bread with pasta and sauce.

I think it is a foodie law somewhere written in the books.

But I want to be different. 

I think this cornbread would be perfect with the pork sauce.

Have me arrested.....

Just as long as my jail cell is located in a kitchen.

And for a light dessert, I would like to see these beauties on a plate.

In very close reaching distance.....

This recipe comes from 365 Days of Baking.

How about sinking your teeth into those apples????

Enjoy your meal this week, and please don't report me to the

garlic bread police....

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 I have been doing a lot of Pinteresting (is that a word?) this week.

And oh the goodies I have found..... 

I am still in the fall mode, and as cold as it is today, 

it may quickly change to winter mode.....

I have got a meal planned today that will encourage you to think

fall leaves, bonfires, and pumpkins.

Let me share with you my plans....

 This is a Crock Pot hot chicken dish.

Hot chicken sandwiches are perfect for picnics, potlucks, and family

get-togethers.

This hot chicken is just a little different from your ordinary hot chicken.

This is made with Caesar dressing.

Yup! That caught my attention right away. 

I am a Caesar Dressing lover.

This recipe comes from Cozycakes Cottage.

Give her a visit and check out more of the awesomeness she has to offer.

 This is a Sweet Potato Salad that comes from Hungry Couple.

But I'm going to do a little something different with this.

I have tons of acorn squash that has been plucked from the garden.

Acorn squash is similar to sweet potatoes, right? 

Well, I think they are pretty darn close.

But anyway, I'm going to roast some acorn squash cubes and

use them in place of the sweet potatoes.

I will for sure let you know how it turns out.

And for dessert.....

Just look at this gorgeous pumpkin chocolate chip cookie pie.

This comes from How Sweet It Is.

Maybe I should have listed this first?

How many of you eat dessert first?

For this recipe I have butternut squash that I'm going to use

in place of the Pumpkin.

And I have two frozen Pie Crusts in my freezer that are just

begging to be filled with this yummmminess.....

For sure, TWO!

One to keep and eat, and the other one to share with a friend.

Pinterest & Spontaneous Treasures Thursday

 I found these gorgeous looking pork chops last week.

And it is a Crock-Pot recipe.

Yes, to find ease in my life is so satisfying....

You can find the original recipe here,

but I'm going to do something a little different with it.

I'm going to add red potatoes, and use a different kind of soup.

I will definitely let you know how it turns out.

How are you liking this menu plan day?

I hope it's just as helpful to you as it is to me.

I know for sure what we are going to be eating 

for at least one day out of the week.

Just one day of accomplishment is awesome.

Don't you think?

 I'm going to make some deviled eggs, and have some kind of veggie

with the pork chop meal.

And for dessert.....

Just look at this gorgeous Swirled Apple Sour Cream Cake from

My Favorite Things, The Breakfast Club.

This is going to be one awesome meal, and I can't

wait to get started.