Let it be known- I love fall. I realize fall is on it's way out and winter is coming. The prospect of a winter here in Bancroft is a gloomy thought with traveling and all, but today is a crisp fall day. Something about the change in season makes me want to put away the green salads and move onto warm hearty soups, or warm rich brownies in today's case.
Noah, always willing to sample anything in the kitchen, will probably know a lot about cooking when he leaves home, or at least be able to bake a mean dessert. These little bites are super rich, thus the small size. After snitching multiple times in the frostings I couldn't even stomach one, but I know they'll be delish.
Layered Mint Chocolate Brownies
Brownie:
1 C butter
2/3 C cocoa powder
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 C flour
Mint Frosting:
1/2 C butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1-3 Tbl milk
1/2 tsp. mint extract (I used essential oil)
Chocolate topping:
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C butter (noticing a pattern here?)
Mix butter cocoa, and sugar. Add eggs one a a time, mixing well after each. Stir in flour. Spread into a greased 9 by 12 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, cool completely.
Mix butter and powdered sugar, add only enough milk for a smooth consistency. Add mint and green food coloring. Frosting will be thick, spread over brownie layer and refrigerate until firm.
Melt chocolate chips with butter in microwave stir well to combine. Pour over frosted brownies, covering completely, refrigerate until topping is hard and set. Cut into small squares, enjoy!
Another love of mine is lentils. Must have been because I lived in Moscow for so long and enjoyed these. Anyway, I used to get these fantastic red lentils at the Food Co-op, but haven't been able to find them around here. I was excited to find them at Walton's Feed last week. (Sorry for all the links, Walton's is great though if you're ever in the area.) It's a good thing I like them since they came in 25 lb. bags. Lots of lentils...today we're trying this recipe, hoping it's yummy, it smells good in the crock pot now. Mmm, here's to fall cooking!
comforts of fall...
more 10.31.09
Poor little ones, a bit tired, cold, and wondering what was up! Ivy started to cry when she woke up from her nap and saw me, guess I did look scary!
10.31.09
Halloween- it was a cold night this year. Fun aunt Shay and Steve came down to visit, trick or treat, and see little Callie. Lauren and Chloe ADORE Shay, all morning they bustled around the house, tidying rooms. "Our house has to be sparkling for Aunt Shay Mom!" Please come more often...please? It was fun walking around town, it's been a long time since we did that, no warm mall or trunk or treats, just the old-fashioned way. The kids didn't get a ton of candy either which is always good, just enough to enjoy for a few days, not so much to send them into a sugar coma. We had quite a few trick or treaters too. Our next sugary holiday is Ivy's birthday- can't believe that girl is one next week!
a preview...
Halloween is upon us, not my favorite holiday, but having kids always makes it more fun. Today I made these witch brooms for our ward party. They were easy and quite yummy, just a cookie on a stick. In the mayhem that can only be a ward party I witnessed children waving them at each other sword-style, so I assume they were a hit with the younger crowd.
We had a grand total of 8 pumpkins here this year. Some bought at the store for a smokin' price and some more at an even better price- free. The girls begged and pestered so finally Sunday we decided to carve them. Five minutes into scooping out the innards I hear complaining. But it wasn't even fazing me, I was having WAY too much fun drilling pumpkins. The only disappointment was having just two drill bits to work with. Too many home remodeling projects, apparently Cody had broken them. He was stunned when I told him he better buy more and lots of them, for next year's pumpkins of course. The drilling was super messy and after the carving and cleaning up of six of the eight beauties I called it a night. The next day I spent a half an hour getting the seeds ready to cook, thinking of everything I could have accomplished other than separating seeds from gunk. What a labor of love, sometimes my 'waste not want not' trait is a serious flaw. Then in an effort to get them toasted just perfectly I burnt one of only two huge pans. Ugh, you notice there's no picture here, so you can keep on believing that everything in my kitchen comes out just lovely. Thankfully Cody prefers things a bit on the dark brown side. What a good pair- Cody and my cooking. He graciously declared them "just right." What a nice lie.
But, speaking of lovely, I had to get some close up shots of the girls. I never buy school pictures, which I feel a teeny bit guilty about, but I don't like them. So lots of in-your-face shots the girls despise happen.
Well, happy halloween to all! I'm sure there will be more pictures of the crew- pumpkins and children.
On a completely unrelated note- I am an aunt once again to a sweet little gal named Callie Anne! Congrats to Loren and Carrie! I forgot how big Ivy was until I saw this precious girl today. Ivy was captivated! She loves baby dolls and seeing one that made cute sounds and moved was just her thing!
spookiness...
I just realized today that Halloween is next weekend, better get crackin' on costumes. I've been too busy sewing quilts and other items for the craft fair this coming weekend. I'm excited I hope I can clear out some old Etsy stuff and start some new projects.
The girls are going crazy with Halloween crafts! Lauren checked out a book at the library and they've made ghosts hanging throughout the house. The shrunken apple heads- we'll post an after picture later- and necklaces with more to come I'm afraid. I wanted to do a fun pumpkin display by the front door, but not being close to any stores has made me a bit lazy perhaps. It seems food, fabric, and other things take priority to spiderwebs and pumpkins. What a shame, try telling that to an 8 year old. Pumpkins are coming next week- I promise! Chloe is going to be a pirate and Lauren a hula/Hawaiian girl. The pirate costume is still in the works. Noah and Ivy are undecided for now. We'll just raid the dress-up.
Life is getting busier too. Lauren and Chloe are playing volleyball and I'm helping coach them. They are on a 3rd/4th grade team, it's pretty comical really- kids that age just don't quite have the timing down. But they are learning the basics of the game and having fun, which is all that really matters at this age anyway. I'd forgotten how much I liked playing volleyball, it's been fun to help out. Noah is going to preschool 2 afternoons a week. It's a great outing for him, he often wakes up and asks where we're going today, and most often the answer is "nowhere." He used to run errands and shop with me all the time. I think he now dreads the marathon shopping days, but he's a good sport. Ivy has taken just a couple steps and unless my memory is failing me (possible) she is by far the baby most into climbing. Stairs, small tables and chairs, into baskets and cupboards. She has three good babysitters though who don't let her get into too much trouble. I'll often hear "Ivy Robenia Hansen!"- that's Noah alerting me there's mischief...
Cody is nearing the end of football season, hoping for some state championship action. He's excited for basketball too, even it is is girls basketball. We had Pipsy spayed this week, which makes her officially ours I suppose. Not a moment too soon in my opinion, she has WAY too many visitors. I think there is a problem with cats in this town, too many without owners. Anyway, from our neck in the woods, things look a little rainy, but good. Hoping to meet a new niece or nephew this week!! Happy birthing Carrie!
before and after...
Oh, the beauties of having another older home, the fun little projects that come, just a little sarcasm intended. :) I do like the small projects.
After years of surviving the ugliness, but practicality of mini blinds I have to share this, what I wish I'd known about three homes ago. Some industrious chick- not me- figured out how to make Roman shades out of blinds. Pure genius I say, they still function perfectly, but without the dust and no style of mini blinds. Plus, I'd purchased a pattern to make Roman shades and it completely intimidated me with all the supplies I'd need. I think they're just about perfect in the kitchen. I'd never worked with the Fabritac glue she recommended, but it did give me some fits. I had to spread it very thin with a plastic spoon to avoid having it bleed through the fabric and show, but overall, it's an easy no-sew project.
Much better, don't you think! Check out her tutorial and dismantle your blinds, it's liberating!
KIVA...
What an awesome site! Check out Kiva, someone making a loan every 16 seconds. I love the idea of helping someone on the other side of the world improve their life circumstances. What a beautiful concept, I think this lady will receive my gift.
This is a Afi Mawuli Sessi who opened a store for selling sewing supplies in her district of Avénou in Lomé. She got started in this commerce in 2008 because most tailors and seamstresses in the area were compelled to go far, all over the place at the Grand Market, in order to supply themselves. Right now, she's receiving orders from all the tailors, which therefore allows her to do a good business. Her work also enables her bring to her husband her financial share of educating their two children.
To renew her presently exhausted inventory, she's requesting a WAGES loan to order some overcasting thread, sewing machine thread, and some good-quality cloth and damask fabrics of different motifs.
