Since it's 
Halloween and all, it's snowing. In the Denver area, it's practically unheard of not to have snow on Halloween. I remember many more ventilated costumes being ruined by a parka, hat, boots, and mittens. Like the year I wanted to be a surfer. Or when I was in sixth grade and my friends and I dessed in sleeveless dresses to be sixties mod chicks. It's been pretty nice weather all fall and Halloween rolls along and all of a sudden … snow. I love it. 
Ever Seen House Hunters?
I love how on that show they make it seem like the realtor shows them three homes and they have this incredibly hard decision to pick between the three. It's hilaroius. Really.
Today alone we saw 10+ houses. The inside of them too … not just the outside. The good news, however, is that we may have found a house to make an offer on. I don't know if we will, but the prospect is looking good.
The house is about 2700 sq feet with three bedrooms on the second floor and another possible in the basement. It's got a very nice kitchen that we could easily get four people working in. It's also got a nice backyard with a great deck and a nice little plot of grass (fairly small yards are good in CO because here you have to water them!). And it's got a huuuge shower and bathtub in the master bedroom and a very nice basement.
Keep your fingers' crossed that we've found our house! 
Fun With Phones
It's been a bit of a rocky start with my new phone. For some reason they couldn't switch me to a local number when I upgraded and switching over has been a bit of a nightmare. Luckily, the tech I drew was awesome and called me back multiple times to get my phone operational. I'm still working on getting the web going, but it's getting close.
The phone is v. cool. It is a Samsung VM-A680. It's a pretty cool little unit, and I'm luving the picture phone. I've hooked up everyone's pics with their phone numbers so I can see who's calling (not that I wouldn't be able to figure out who names and numbers are, but it's cool).
Ch .. ch … ch … changes
Well … tomorrow I'm starting my new job. I'm going to be working for my mom's company (the business my grandpa started oh-so-many-years ago) doing a variety of things. Until the new year, I'll be working in the training/education/safety department working on new tracking methods and forms to keep things running smoothly. In the new year, I'll be working on some warranty work as well. I'm super-super excited to be working within the family biz and I'm really excited to be doing the work I'm doing. It's going to be so exciting.
And in other news, I acquired a new cell phone today. It's a kickass camera phone and so in the near future, I may have some sort of a MoBlog. I'll have to work on that. Continue reading “Ch .. ch … ch … changes”
Where I've Been …
As you may (or may not) have noticed, I've been gone! Yep, Last Monday evening I embarked on a trip with my mom and my grandma to see my lil' sis in the big apple. We had an amazing time and I returned to Denver on Sunday completely exhausted. I totally meant to post a little trip notice before I left, but I got incredibly busy right at the end and I didn't have time. So … did ya miss me?
I've got the beginnings of a NYC travel journal. If I can get a bitta time, I'll finish it up.
Spiced Peach Muffins
from: someone on the Glitter Board
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups (19 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsps (3/4 oz) baking powder
2 cups (16 oz) dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz) vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup (10 oz) milk
3 large peaches, unpeeled, diced (or 3 cups small whole berries or other fruit, diced)
Granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk until brown sugar is evenly distributed and there are no lumps. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, beat eggs, vegetable oil, and milk together, then stir into dry ingredients. Gently stir in the fruit. Grease 16 muffin cups and heap the batter into the cups; they'll be very full. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes on a rack, then turn out of the pans to finish cooling.
Nutritional Info (1 muffin(
340 cal, 11 g fat, 5g protein, 27g sugar, 2 g dietary fiber
Chewy Chocolate Cookies
from: Meals.Com
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced.
1 (11 oz) package butterscotch chips
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
Directions
Heat oven to 375.
Arrange apples in a 13×9 inch baking pan. Combine morsels, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; springkle over apples. Bake for 20 minutes; remove from oven.
Combine flour and sugar ina medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until crumbly. Stir in nuts and oats; sprinkkle over apple layer. Bake for additional 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned. Cool slightly. Serve warm with icecream, if desired.
from: Cooking Light
Ingredients
1 (18.25-ounce) package light devil's food cake mix
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, softened
2 tablespoons water
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Nutritional Info (1 cookie(
calories: 50 carbohydrates: 8.4 g cholesterol: 4 mg fat: 1.5 g sodium: 79 mg protein: 0.7 g calcium: 9 mg iron: 0.3 mg fiber: 0.2 g
Butterscotch Apple Crisp
from: Meals.Com
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced.
1 (11 oz) package butterscotch chips
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
Directions
Heat oven to 375.
Arrange apples in a 13×9 inch baking pan. Combine morsels, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; springkle over apples. Bake for 20 minutes; remove from oven.
Combine flour and sugar ina medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until crumbly. Stir in nuts and oats; sprinkkle over apple layer. Bake for additional 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned. Cool slightly. Serve warm with icecream, if desired.
Apple Butter
from: Cooking with Jaz
Ingredients
1 dozen flour tortillas
1 large can whole green chiles
1 large can tomato sauce
1 lb. monterey jack cheese, cut in 1/4″ thick slices
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
Directions
Heat oven to 400. Brown ground beef and drain. Add tomato sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Add the pepper and chili powder. Simmer for a few more minutes.
Meanwhile, grease a 9×13″ pan. In each tortilla, roll up a slice of cheese and a chile. Line burritos up in the baking pan. Add the juice from the chiles to the sauce. Pour sauce over the burritos and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
from: 98
Ingredients
1 pound bacon
2 white onions, thinly sliced
1-2 freshly caught, pan-sied trout, cleaned
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Fry, drain and nibble on bacon while doing next step! Saute onions in bacon grease, drain and salt, and nibble while preparing the fish. Coat fish well with mixture of corn meal, flour, salt and pepper. Fry fish inhot grease until done and very crisp. Garnish with onion and baking.
from: 96
Ingredients
1 tablsepoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons minced seeded jalepeno
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 8-inch tortillas
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, corn, and garlic, and saute 30 seconds. Add tomato and jalepeno; saute 4 minutes. Stir in shrimp, lemon juice, cilantro and salt; saute 3 minutes. Remove corn mixture from skillet; keep warm.
Place one tortilla in a skillet over medium heat, and top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1/2 cup corn mixture over cheese; top with a tortilla. Cook 3 minutes, pressing down with a spatula until the cheese melts. Turn carefully and cook until thoroughly heated (about 1 minute). Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with salsa or sour cream or guacamole.
from: Martha Stewart.Com
Ingredients
20 apples such as empire, golden delicious (about 6.5 lbs) peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons calvados, a french apple brandy (regular brandy can be substituted)
1 large cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 small pinch of ground cloves
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Ccombine apples, cider, calvados, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, mace, cloves, sugar, and lemon juice ina large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place mixture over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring often e wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until apples are broken down and saucy, about 1 hour. Mash any large pieces of apple with a large wooden spoon to help thembreak down.
Reduce heat to medium. Using a rubber spatula, scrape out apple mixture from pan, and transfer to a small saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until apples are completely broken down and butter is very thick and dark, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat, and let stand to cooll. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the fridge, or 6 in the freezer.
Confetti Quesadillas
from: Cooking with Jaz
Ingredients
1 dozen flour tortillas
1 large can whole green chiles
1 large can tomato sauce
1 lb. monterey jack cheese, cut in 1/4″ thick slices
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
Directions
Heat oven to 400. Brown ground beef and drain. Add tomato sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Add the pepper and chili powder. Simmer for a few more minutes.
Meanwhile, grease a 9×13″ pan. In each tortilla, roll up a slice of cheese and a chile. Line burritos up in the baking pan. Add the juice from the chiles to the sauce. Pour sauce over the burritos and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
from: 98
Ingredients
1 pound bacon
2 white onions, thinly sliced
1-2 freshly caught, pan-sied trout, cleaned
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Fry, drain and nibble on bacon while doing next step! Saute onions in bacon grease, drain and salt, and nibble while preparing the fish. Coat fish well with mixture of corn meal, flour, salt and pepper. Fry fish inhot grease until done and very crisp. Garnish with onion and baking.
from: 96
Ingredients
1 tablsepoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons minced seeded jalepeno
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 8-inch tortillas
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, corn, and garlic, and saute 30 seconds. Add tomato and jalepeno; saute 4 minutes. Stir in shrimp, lemon juice, cilantro and salt; saute 3 minutes. Remove corn mixture from skillet; keep warm.
Place one tortilla in a skillet over medium heat, and top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1/2 cup corn mixture over cheese; top with a tortilla. Cook 3 minutes, pressing down with a spatula until the cheese melts. Turn carefully and cook until thoroughly heated (about 1 minute). Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with salsa or sour cream or guacamole.