Updated on November 1, 2015
Ham and Potato Soup
Tasty soup with meat and vegetables? Yes, please.
When the weather gets cold and blustery, there is no food I like better than a hot bowl of chunky or creamy soup. Actually, I could go for a good bowl of soup almost anytime, but cold weather makes it taste extra good. I love when most of the main food groups get made in one pot and served in one bowl. Add some fresh warm bread if you like, but the soup itself takes care of the meal.
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Updated on October 30, 2015
Fiesta Chicken Casserole
This was one of my very favorite recipes when I first came across it, and I noted on the recipe that my youngest liked it so much the first time I made it that she had THIRDS! It got a “yummy” rating written across the top of the page. My boyfriend’s son even requested it as his birthday meal. And we were all Happy.
So Happy.
h…a…p..p…y.
I’m telling you. I remember it. happy…
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Posted on October 28, 2015
Halloween Oreo Pops
Oh my goodness! I came across this idea several years ago, and they have been the hit of fall and Halloween every year since.
These are not hard to make, but they do take some time and patience. You are basically securing an Oreo onto a stick, coating it in chocolate, and then decorating it in fun Halloween designs. I make mummies, pumpkins, and Frankensteins. The pumpkins are usually the most popular; I suppose because they are the most familiar and friendly for little ones. 
Updated on November 12, 2015
Caramel Corn
What tastes more like fall than buttery caramel corn?
I have been making this caramel corn every fall for several years now, and it is always a hit. It is a standard menu item when I host book club in the fall, and I included it as one of the prizes for our church carnival’s cake and treat walk last year. (It is a great option for the gluten-free and egg-free people in your life. Leave out the peanuts and those with nut allergies should be able to enjoy it too.)
Fill up a big bowl for a party or bag it up to give away as party favors or as a fall treat for a friend or a neighbor. Curl up on the couch with the kids on a lazy Saturday to watch a classic movie and munch caramel corn. You can even freeze part of it to keep yourself from eating the whole batch at once.
It is so good; everyone will definitely want more, so go stock up on popcorn right now.
Caramel Corn
Ingredients:
- 7 quarts (approximately 28 cups) plain popped popcorn
- 2 cups honey or dry roasted peanuts (optional)
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spray a large disposable roasting pan or other large pan(s) with cooking spray. Add popped popcorn. Add the peanuts if using. Set the pan of popcorn inside the oven to keep it warm while you make the caramel. (This will help the caramel mix better without hardening on cold popcorn.)
- In a medium size pot, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will bubble up a bit and become lighter in color and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn and stir to coat. Don’t worry if all of the corn is not coated at this point.
Adding baking soda and vanilla makes it bubble up. 
The caramel will become lighter in color and foamy. 
- Bake for one hour, removing the pans and giving them a thorough stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper or parchment paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper in a single layer, separating any big chunks.
The oven dries out the caramel to make it crunchy rather than sticky. 
Spread on wax or parchment paper to cool. - Allow to cool completely and then store in airtight containers or zip top bags.
Source: Adapted slightly from AllRecipes.
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Posted on October 23, 2015
Apple Streusel Bars {egg-free}
I bake a lot of things for various activities at my church, and through this, I have become aware that there are A LOT of people who are allergic to A LOT of different things. Honestly, I have been pretty oblivious to this in my personal life. I can’t think of a single food allergy of anyone in my immediate family growing up, and I am not aware of any with my own kids.
Being allergic to foods is foreign to me, so I was kind of shocked last fall when many of the kids at our All Saints Carnival could not eat the prizes in the cake walk. I was aware of and somewhat prepared for the gluten allergies; I made caramel corn and Monster Munch for them, but I had no idea so many people are allergic to eggs. EGGS? I don’t know what I would do if my family members were allergic to eggs. They are a staple in my house. I buy the big 5 dozen mega pack about every week and a half. I use quite a few for baking, but we also eat them almost daily–omelets, hard-boiled eggs, deviled eggs, scrambled in breakfast burritos, fried egg sandwiches, and on it goes.
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