A Little Bit of Everything

Hello Sweets,

Saturday is coming up super fast :D, thankfully Nathan will be here tomorrow to take all my last minute stress away.  I've been making daily trips to my new place, bringing over any small items that I can manage.  I even picked up a step ladder today, that way I can reach everything in my apartment without hurting myself more.  I am super excited and cannot contain it anymore!!!  The only thing that would make it better is going to be here tomorrow, until then I will just keep doing busy work.

Even though most of my groceries are now at my new place, I was smart enough to leave the basics behind.  Of course that means, baking supplies!  I cannot have people helping me move without supplying some treats, but I can't just do what I've done before lol.  Y'all know me, I've just got to try something new :)  Tonight's treat is something really unique, and something that would be perfect in the fall during harvest season.  The main ingredient is something I love working with and have done a few different recipes, can you guess what the main ingredient is?  It's pumpkin!!  I love pumpkin so much, but as you may or may not recall I do not care for pumpkin pie >_<  But what if I turned to whole pumpkin pie upside down and inside out?  That is almost what this recipe is like, but at the same time it's not lol.  How about I let y'all judge it for yourself.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Ingredients

1 1/3C flour

3/4C sugar, divided

1/2C brown sugar

3/4C butter, cold

1C quick cooking oats, uncooked

1/2C pecans, chopped

1 pkg brick cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 can (19oz) pumpkin

1Tbs pumpkin pie spice (I mix my own)

 

Directions:

 1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 13"x9" pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over the sides; spray foil with cooking spray.  Mix flour, 1/4C sugar, and brown sugar in medium bowl until blended.

 

2)  Cut in butter with pasty blender or with 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

 

3)  Stir in oats and nuts.

 

4)  Reserve 1C oat mixture and set aside.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the  prepared pan.  Bake for 15 minutes

5)  Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and spices with mixer until blended.

 

 

6)  Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

 

 

7)  Bake for 25 minutes, cool for 10 minutes.  Use foil handles to remove dessert from the pan.  Transfer to wire rack, all to cool completely before cutting.

  

Although the name says pie in it, the only real pie part about it is the pumpkin layer.  The top is like a steussel, but the bottom taste closer to a shortbread cookie.  My nephew even gobbled it down, so it's kid approved.  If you're getting sick of having traditional pumpkin pie year in and year out, try this out for a change.  It's definitely a crowd pleaser, not to mention it's easy on the pocket book.  I want to thank Philadelphia cream cheese for the amazing recipe.

Well I am down to the final box and I couldn't be more thankful.  The worst part about this whole moving thing, like I've been saying for the last few weeks, packing is the worst!  At least Nathan will be here tomorrow, eeekkkkk I can't wait.  All I have to do is get through the next 18 hours, *tick tock* *tick tock*Until next time...

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

My Perfect Birthday

Hello Sweets,

So this post is wayyyyyy over due lol, by two and a half months!  But since it's about my birthday I figured better late than never right?  I am going to write yet another short post, but only because I'm having bouts of writers block, so instead of not writing at all I figured 'short and sweet' until I get my groove back ;)

As usual Nathan chose to keep my birthday celebration to himself, he loves surprises lol.  So I was wondering all sorts of things, but what he actually did I didn't even consider.
If I come to Texas for any holiday (that is specific to Nathan and I), you can bet that I won't know much, if anything about it lol.  Of course my birthday was no different, thankfully I am okay with this fact and don't get frustrated.  All Nathan told me was that I could get dressed up, because I don't ever have a reason to do so lol (thank you chiari/fibro!).  We got into his truck and started to drive, and I was still in the dark about where we were going.  Then we made a turn that I recognized and said "I think I know where we are going!".  He let me guess and when I did he told me I was correct :)  What Nathan did was so thoughtful and amazing, he recreated one of our first and very romantic dates.  We went out to P.F. Chang's, and just talked and laughed all night long.  And this time was no different, here's a few shots of our food, drinks, and fun!

My delicious drink, mmm tropical

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Delicious Wonton Soup, Nathan's favorite!

Yummy Seafood Pad Thai, extra spicy lol

 Nathan's Mongolian Beef, yummy!

If you've never been to P.F. Chang's, you should check it out.  The atmosphere, service, and food are amazing.  When the dinner was all said and done, the waitress asked if we wanted dessert.  Now their fried banana's with coconut pineapple ice cream is to die for, but I had a delicious 'The Cheesecake Factory' original cheesecake waiting at home.  She seemed to understand lol, all in all it was a great couple of hours.  Then we came home to watch a movie and cuddle, yes we're cheesy and okay with it lol.

Happy birthday to me!!

Birthday kisses!!

All in all a great way to spend a milestone birthday!  Which birthday you ask?  Well, you never ask a lady that lol!  Until next time....

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate.........Did I MentionChocolate???

Hello Sweets,

Well if you haven't guessed by the title of the post, we are talking about CHOCOLATE!!!!  And lots of it too :)  Tonight I bring you the anniversary dessert that got me a wide eyed smile from my handsome love, and I wanted to also share our amazing date.

Since Nathan is preparing to finish up all his commercial pilot requirements, he's been flying, like a lot.  Which means early mornings...like before dawn early lol, only because by 9-9:30am the temperature is already in the mid to high 90F.  However, the views you get are worth every yawn and every bag under your eye lol. They're also some of the prettiest colors.  I've always been a lover of nature, and I am very fond of any natural beauty, but these views........well check them out for yourself :)

 

 2 years together, but only feels like minutes have gone by

 

 Taxiing over to the strip and the colors start to form :)

 

 

 absolutely breath taking

 

 I need a better camera, because if I can take this with my phone imagine the possibilities

 

my personal pilot, so handsome when he concentrates

 

 

Love this profile shot <3  

 

There is nothing better in the world then sharing a view as beautiful with the one you love.  To be honest, after the first breath taking ride, I've had no problem dragging my butt out of bed ;)  I've missed one flight thus far, and I felt guilty that I did lol, I know crazy right?

So you can see how amazing the gift that he gave me was, so naturally I was very excited that I got the same excitement from him with the dessert :p  Yesterday we made the base for our dessert, the chocolatey goodness of Oreos!!  Well today we are going to fill that puppy up with.....you guessed it chocolate!!  I wasn't sure what to look for or what to expect with a chocolate pie but that wasn't going to stop me ;)  Then I came across a recipe that embodied both chocolate and a Texan favorite, pecans! 

Triple Layer Mud Pie

Ingredients

3sqrs Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1/4C sweetened condensed milk

1 Oreo Pie Crust (6oz)
1/2C pecans, chopped
2pkgs (3.9oz) Jell-O instant chocolate pudding
2C cold 2% milk
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

1)  Mix the melted chocolate with the condensed milk.

 

 2)  Pour into the pie crust and sprinkle with the pecans.

 

3)  Beat pudding mixes with the cold milk with a whisk for 2 minutes; spooning 1 1/2C onto the pecans

*I would recommend piping the pudding mixture on, as it is quite thick and frustrated me lol*

 

 

4)  Stir half of the Cool Whip into the remaining pudding.  Spread over the pudding layer.

 

5)  Top with remaining Cool Whip and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.

 

2 years of nothing but LOVE!!

 

Not the prettiest, but heck it's damn tasty!

In addition this delicious dessert, Nathan made his Signature Steaks (mmmmmm) and we paired it with my amazing Twice Baked Potatoes and the super yummy Corn on the Cob (which Nathan and I have updated since then and will share soon!).  I also made a fresh loaf of Whole Wheat Honey Bread, almost identical to the bread from the Cheesecake Factory :)  Paired with a lovely glass of red wine

 

Sorry about the half eaten dinner, but it smelt so good I dove right in lol

As you can see the little puppy Bear was mooching, but I was in a particularly good mood (love and all) so she got some steak.......and fillet.

That's a few snap shots into our loving day of celebration, I hope you enjoyed it as much as Nathan and I did :)  Until next time...........................................



Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxoxo