Month: August 2018

Homemade Pecan Pumpkin Butter

Posted on by traci

I’ve wanted to make my own nut butter for a while.  Once I finally made it, I was so happy that I did.  Homemade nut butter has a much fresher taste than store bought.  Plus you can control the ingredients.

The key to making nut butter is to first roast the nuts.  Roasting them helps to release the oils.  Don’t add oil to the nut butter.  It is just gross tasting and nasty.  Don’t ask how I know.  Roasting the nuts is better.  Trust me.

Since fall is quickly approaching, I decided to make a pecan pumpkin butter with pumpkin spice.  YUM!

Ingredients needed for Homemade Pecan Pumpkin Nut Butter

That’s it!

 

Homemade Pecan Pumpkin Nut Butter

  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 & 1/2 c. pecans
  • 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
  • 2 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • pinch of salt


Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the pecans and pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet.  Make sure it is in a single layer.
  3. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes making sure the pumpkin seeds and pecans do not burn.
  4. Remove from oven an allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Add to a blender.  I used my Ninja blender.  Blend for 10 to 12 minutes or until the nuts become a butter like consistency.  (As you are blending, you may need to stop the blender to scrape the sides down.  I know I had to a few times.)
  6. Remove to a clean Mason jar.  Add the salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Stir to combine.
  7. Enjoy!


You need to keep in the fridge.  It should last about 3 weeks if you don’t eat it all soon after you make it.

I really want to make some pumpkin butter.  I would have it on top of toast and this nut butter.  That sounds so good.

You can use less pecans and more pumpkin seeds if you desire.

Happy eating,
Traci

 

The Mysterious Baby Sock

Posted on by traci

Last night I was sorting through the laundry.  My stuff, the Imaginative One’s, the Wee One’s, and dish towels were placed in different piles.

As I was sorting and calling the boys to come get their laundry, I found this mysterious baby sock.

I don’t know where it came from.  I mentioned it to one of the boys this morning but he didn’t know where it came from.

I recognized it from 13 years ago.  Where had it been for the last 13 years?  Why was it in our laundry?

I know it hadn’t been in the dryer for the last 13 years because we had gotten a new dryer since the boys were little babies.

It might fit on the big toe of the Imaginative One.

The Wee One might make it a challenge to put it on his foot.

Until then we don’t know where this mysterious sock came from.

20180821_214044_HDR

Have you ever found something that you don’t know where it’s come from?

Have a magical day,
Traci

Mom, What’s For Dinner? – Week of August 12, 2018

Posted on by traci

This is the first week back with students so I want to have an easy menu.

Menu Plan Monday - August 12.jpg

I also meal prepped for my breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.  Here’s what I made for this week:

Breakfasts – Pina Colada Overnight Oats

Snacks – Pistachios, Honeycrisp apples with cashew butter, Mini Bell Peppers with hummus

Lunches –  Salad in a jar with strawberry poppy seed dressing, homemade fruit on the bottom yogurt with granola

Since I have all my breakfasts, lunches, and snacks prepped, it’s easy to grab and go in the mornings.

Happy eating,
Traci

Mom’s Visit to Golden Lamb | Lebanon, Ohio | Part 2

Posted on by traci

The Golden Lamb is known as the oldest continuous running inn in Ohio.  Operations began in 1803 and still continue today.  In fact, there was only 4 vacant rooms left on the day we visited the Golden Lamb.

Here is the link to part 1 of our visit.

I smelled orchids around around his room.

 

Here are photos of the fire board my Great Uncle painted in 1971.

Until next time, have a magical day,
Traci