1st 5K!

This past weekend I ran my first 5K for my friend Heidi's son, Jack's charity, Little Hands!  It was such a fun and beautiful run.  I plan to run a couple more 5K's before the year is out.  I have caught the running bug!

Here I am with my two favorite little guys before the race...

And after I finished!  I did it in 48 minutes...not too shabby for my first time on a challenging course.  My goal is to shave 15-20 minutes off that time by this time next year!

Funny short video of my crossing the finish line...I kind of plowed over M...haha...

Leaf Pile Fun!

The boys have been running around like maniacs the past couple days (please say I am not the only mother who deals with this??), so I decided to put them to "work".  Well, more like fun for them!  It was a balmy 45 degrees, but they had so much fun raking the leaves to make a pile to jump in outside.  Here they are hard at work  making their pile...

That is one happy boys in the leaves...

M in the trees...

Check off Fall Bucket List:  Jumping in a pile of leaves!

J in leaves...

That smile...

Short video of leaf pile fun!

Creamy Pumpkin Dip

This is one of my favorite Fall "party" dips.  A sweet and creamy pumpkin dip!  I got this recipe years ago from Southern Living.  It makes a ton, so I usually end of having the recipe.  If you halve the recipe like I did, make sure to save the other half of the can of pumpkin for another great recipe such as pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

Here is what you will need...

Apologies for this gross looking picture.  DO NOT do what I did, and beat everything together at once.  Recipe says to beat the cream cheese until creamy first.  In my excitement, I tossed everything in together, and beat it all at once.  Took me awhile to get it creamy.  It is so much more creamy if you follow the recipe right! :)

You can serve it in a cute bowl, or inside a pie pumpkin like I did!  Many thanks to the hubster who carved it out for me.  I used one of my boys plastic orange bowls to sit inside of it...

Serve with graham cracker sticks and ginger snaps.  I HIGHLY recommend Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps...so good!

Creamy Pumpkin Dip

2 - 8 oz. Packages of Cream Cheese, softened
1 - 16 oz. Package of Powdered Sugar
1 - 16 oz. Can Pumpkin
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.  Stir in pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Serve immediately, or cover and chill.  Serve with ginger snaps and/or graham cracker sticks.  Yields 5 Cups. 

Apple Pie Galette {Easy!}

If you are looking for a super quick, yet impressive dessert, try a galette!  A galette is French for "rustic, open faced pie"...I kid really.  This little baby took me only 10 minutes to put together, and that included the peeling, coring, and slicing of the apples...the hardest part!  It also only bakes for only 25-35 minutes, so in under 45 minutes (a majority of that being baking time), you can have a yummy cool looking treat for dessert on the table! 

I had recently bought some refrigerated pie crust (the kind that come in a box, rolled up), to make a bacon quiche.  I was thinking of what to make with the other pie shell in the box, and this came to mind.  Apple pie is my husbands favorite, so why not make a galette version of it?  So perfect this time of year as well.

Start by tossing your apple slices in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon, and flour...

Place the coated apple in a big mound in the center of the pie dough.  Leave a good 2-3 inches of boarder.  I also used a pizza stone to bake it on...

Gently start folding up the sides, making little folds as you go like so... (It doesn't have to be perfect!)

Brush the outer edges with an egg wash...

Sprinkle some sugar over it all... (I used one packet of Sugar in the Raw.)

Bake for 25-35 minutes...

Slice and enjoy...  (It would be awesome with some vanilla ice cream!)

Apple Pie Galette

3 Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith)
1/4 Cup Sugar
2-3 Shakes of Cinnamon (1/4 tsp.??)
1 Tbs. Flour
1 Refrigerated Pie Roll (I used Pillsbury)
1 Egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water
1 Packet of Sugar in the Raw (or extra plain sugar if you don't have any)

After you peel, core, and slice your apples, toss them in a bowl till well coated with the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.  Unroll your pie dough and place on either a pizza stone, or a large pan lined with parchment paper.  Place the apples in a mound in the center of the dough, careful to leave a good 2-3 inches of boarder of dough. Start by folding the dough over the apples, going around in a circle as you do.  There will be creases every several inches or so.  It doesn't have to be perfect!  Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl with a splash of water, and gently brush it on the outer pie crust edges.  Sprinkle one packet of Sugar in the Raw over the whole thing, being generous with it on the pie crust edges.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes.  Watch it carefully that it doesn't burn, but also check to be sure the crust is cooked as well.  Let it sit for a couple minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this EASY dessert!

Chi-Town Girls Night

This was the second year I was able to get away for an evening with friends in Chicago.  Always a great time.  This year we choose the North Avenue area.  Tons of great shopping, and we had dinner at Uncle Julios.  Yummy! 

The lovely Pearl and Jennifer...

My chicken and shrimp fajitas...

Jen's steak nachos...

Pearl's pollo blanco...

Can't wait for next year! :)

Fall Park Fun

A few days ago we took the boys to a nearby park we have never been to.  It was a gorgeous day, and the leaves on the trees at the park were in perfect Fall color!  Love this time of year...

J going down a slide...

M playing with the leaves...